DRUGS & ISLAM

DRUGS & ISLAM

Drug is thought to originate from Old French "drogue", possibly deriving later into "droge-vate" from Middle Dutch meaning "dry barrels", referring to medicinal plants preserved in them.   A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage. 

Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism. For example, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug. Many natural substances, such as beers, wines, and psychoactive mushrooms, blur the line between food and recreational drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both mind and body and some substances normally considered drugs such as DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) are actually produced by the human body in trace amounts.

Drugs under international control include amphetamine-type stimulants, coca/cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics. Countries have decided to control these drugs because they pose a threat to health. While some of the physical effects of drugs might sound nice, they do not last long. Many people get depressed and lonely afterwards and start feeling sick. Also, it is common for people who use drugs to seem confused, have red eyes, sweat a lot and not care about their physical appearance.

One thing that's often misunderstood about drug abuse is that it only involves illegal substances, but that's simply not the case. Any drug can be abused, whether it be bought on a street corner or obtained from your doctor. So really, there's no dividing line between prescription and so-called recreational drugs because they often include the same or similar ingredients just in different dosages.

There are many types of drugs. Some types of drugs  that are well-known by most people are antidepressants, hallucinogens, stimulants, sedatives, solvents, opioids, painkillers and many others. And each types of drugs have their own effect and uses.  Antidepressants are prescribed to treat depression and other mood disorders as well such as dysthymia, which is a type of low-grade bipolar disorder. Hallucinogens can cause subjective changes in perception, thought, emotion and consciousness. Meanwhile, stimulants are drugs that make people feel more awake, alert and energetic. Cocaine and amphetamines are stimulants. Sedatives are substance that depresses the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in calmness, relaxation, reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, and slowed breathing. Next, solvents when inhaled, solvents have a similar effect to alcohol. They make people feel uninhibited, euphoric and dizzy. Opioids can decrease pain reaction and sensation besides Opioids can produce intense euphoria in a person and a sense of well-being. Lastly, painkillers are non-opiate based over-the-counter medicines used for mild to moderate pain relief, flu and other symptoms. Prolonged use can lead to dependence.

As I stated earlier, drugs are always misunderstood as only a bad and illegal thing. But we do not know that we are all consuming drugs in our everyday lifestyle such as coffee and medicines. There are many uses and benefit we can get from the consumption of drugs. The biggest benefit of drugs is in the medication field. But there are also the bad sides from taking some types of drugs when it’s more than certain amounts and without prescription from doctors.

First, the benefit is the use of drugs in medication which is known as pharmaceutical drugs. A medication or medicine is a drug taken to cure and/or ameliorate any symptoms of an illness or medical condition, or may be used as preventive medicine that has future benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms.

Drugs are also used for spiritual and religious purposes which have been occurring since the dawn of our species. These drugs are called entheogens. Some religions are based completely on the use of certain drugs. Entheogens are mostly hallucinogens but some are also stimulants and sedatives.

Next, drugs are also use for self improvement. Nootropics, also commonly referred to as "smart drugs", are drugs that are claimed to improve human cognitive abilities. It’s used to improve memory, concentration, thought, mood, learning, and many other things. Some nootropics are now beginning to be used to treat certain diseases such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. They are also commonly used to regain brain function lost during aging. Similarly, Drugs such as steroids improve human physical capabilities and are sometimes used (legally or not) for this purpose, often by professional athletes.

Meanwhile, recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as opioids or hallucinogens. They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on perception, consciousness personality, and behavior. Its use is the use of psychoactive substances to have fun, for the experience, or to enhance an already positive experience. 

“Khamr is what befogs the mind.” These are the words spoken by  Umar Ibn Al-Khattab R.A  from the pulpit of the Prophet SAW, providing us with a decisive criterion for defining what falls under the prohibited category of khamr. There remains then no room for doubts and questions: any substance which has the effect of befogging or clouding the mind, impairing its faculties of thought, perception, and discernment is prohibited by Allah and His Messenger, and will remain so until the Day of Judgment. Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium, and the like are definitely included in the prohibited category of khamr. 

  The objectives of Islamic divine laws are the protection of faith (belief in one God), life ( abortion. suicide, homicide), property (ownership) and the mind (intoxicants). Normally in the brain there is an inhibitory control which tells us not to engage in shameful or wrongful acts. Any suppressant drug including alcohol will suppress these nerve pathways and take away such restraint. Ability to make a judgments, to protect the body or honor, a quality for humans is taken away under the influence of drugs. 

There are two main features of Islamic prohibitions:

a) lslam stops the wrong at the inception and not at the end. Islam makes equal laws for both children and parents by prohibiting completely (total abstinence), but the West does not. It is for this reason, the West has been crippled to handle the problem of drugs and alcohol, because it has made duel standards.

b) Islam blocks all the avenues to the wrong. Therefore not only illicit sex is prohibited, but casual mixing of sexes freely is prohibited, but obscenity and pornography is prohibited, and in the same context, not only drinking wine is prohibited, but making it , selling it, keeping it, or even growing grapes for the sole purpose of selling it to winery for making wine is prohibited but the Prophet SAW Some 1400 years ago, Allah SWT our creator and sustainer, who cares for us, sent down following revelation in the following order, mentioned in Quran.

Al-Nisa 4:43: "O you who believe! Approach not prayers, with a mind befogged, until you can understand all that you say."

Al-Ma'idah 5:93: "O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divinations by) arrows, are an abomination of Satan's handiwork: Avoid such (abomination) that you may prosper."

Al-Ma'idah 5:93: "Satan's plan is to sow enmity and hatred among you with intoxicants and gambling, and to hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then give up."

These are some of Hadiths of Prophet Mohammed SAW about wine and other intoxicants;

"Every intoxicant is khamr, and every khamr is haram (unlawful)" - reported by Muslim.

"Of that which intoxicates in a large amount, a small amount is haram" (Ahmad, Abu-Daud and Al-Tirrnizi,).

"Khamar (intoxicants) is the mother of all evils". Reported in Bukhari. 

So here there is no need to doubt the illicit nature of such modern narcotics like cocaine, heroine, etc. or such soft drugs that are available in the club scenes, places, unfortunately, visited frequently by Muslim youth in the West. There are no easy solutions. In fact it is a multifactorial problem and each aspect should be addressed individually, and seriously, both by the government and by the public. All these require motivation and commitment from all of us. It is beyond the dignity of a human being to become dependent on alcohol and drugs and not be able to serve himself, his family and his creator in the best possible manner. 

What I would like to draw our attention to though is how we value ourselves. Perhaps when we as Muslims, even sinful Muslims, realize the value that Allah the Exalted has given us, perhaps it will be then that we will value our individual selves: physically and ultimately spiritually.  There are too many things, rezky and nikmah given to us by Allah. So, what we need to do is to use it wisely and on the right path. 

The uses of drugs (in a wrong way) are Haraam. It is necessary to abstain from them. They ruin people’s lives physically, mentally, morally and spiritually. If anyone is involved with drugs they should stop immediately and seek help.  May Allah help and protect us all. Ameen.