Is ignorance of the prohibition of intoxicants accepted as a defense to avoid the Had?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Beverages (Intoxicants)

Book 53 · Issue 2 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If a person claims ignorance regarding the prohibition of intoxicants, the claim is examined based on their background. If the person grew up in the land of Islam among Muslims, their claim of ignorance is not accepted because such a prohibition is unlikely to be hidden from someone in their position. However, if the person has recently embraced Islam or grew up in a remote desert area far from populated centers, the claim of ignorance is accepted from them because their assertion is plausible.