Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:219

(They ask you about wine and gambling.) Al-Wahidi stated: This was revealed regarding ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, and a group of the Ansar who came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: "Give us a religious ruling regarding wine and gambling, for they deprive the intellect and drain wealth." Thereupon, Allah the Exalted revealed this verse.

In some narrations, it is said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) arrived in Medina while the people were drinking wine and consuming gambling, so they asked him about it, and Allah revealed this verse. Some people said, "It has not been forbidden for us," and they continued to drink wine until ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf prepared a meal and invited some of the Companions. He brought them wine; they drank and became intoxicated. When the time for Maghrib prayer approached, they brought forward ‘Ali (may Allah honor his face), and he recited: "Say, 'O you who disbelieve...'" (surah al-Kafirun) to the end, omitting the negation. Then Allah revealed: "Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated."

People then reduced their drinking. Later, ‘Itban ibn Malik prepared a feast and invited some Muslims, including Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas. He had roasted the head of a camel for them, and they ate from it and drank wine until it affected them. Then, they began to boast and recite poetry. Sa‘d recited verses that contained satire against the Ansar and praise for his own tribe. A man from the Ansar took the camel's jawbone and struck Sa‘d on the head, wounding him. Sa‘d went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and complained about the Ansar, saying: "O Allah, clarify Your ruling regarding wine to us with a healing clarification." Thus, Allah the Exalted revealed: "Indeed, wine and gambling..." up to His saying: "So will you not abstain?" This occurred days after the Battle of the Confederates (al-Ahzab). ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We have abstained, O Lord."

It is narrated from ‘Ali (may Allah honor his face) that if a drop of it were to fall into a well and a minaret were built over its place, he would not perform the call to prayer (Adhan) from it. And if it were to fall into the sea, then the sea dried up and grass grew in it, he would not let his mount graze upon it. And it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): "If I were to insert my finger into it, I would not wipe it." This is indeed the reality of faith and piety.

As for wine (khamr), according to Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah be pleased with him), it is that which is made from grape juice when it boils, intensifies, and casts off foam. It is named as such because it yakhmaru (veils) the intellect, meaning it covers it; from this is the woman's khimar (head covering) because it covers her face. The khamir is one who conceals testimony. It is also said it is named so because it covers until it intensifies; from this is: "Cover (khimru) your vessels," meaning cover them. It is also said: because it intermingles with the intellect; "a disease khamarahu" means it intermingled with it. It is also said: because it is left until it matures (tudrik); from this is "the dough ikhtamara," meaning it reached its maturity. These are interrelated views, and based on them, khamr is a verbal noun intended to mean the active or passive participle. It is also permissible for it to remain a verbal noun for the sake of hyperbole.

The two Imams (Abu Yusuf and Muhammad) held that the casting off of foam is not a condition; intensity is sufficient because the prohibited meaning is realized by it. Imam Abu Hanifah held that boiling is the beginning of intensity, and it is completed by the casting off of foam and its settling, as that is when the clear is distinguished from the turbid. Legal rulings are absolute, and therefore they are tied to the end state, such as the prescribed punishment (hadd), deeming the one who considers it lawful an unbeliever, and the prohibition of sale. Some scholars adopted the view of the two Imams regarding the prohibition of drinking as a precaution.

The application of the term khamr to anything other than what was mentioned is metaphorical according to us, and this is what is known to the linguists. Some people have said it is literal for every intoxicant, based on the reports from the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim), Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa’i: "Every intoxicant is khamr." Abu Dawud also reported: "The prohibition of wine was revealed on the day it was revealed, and it comes from five things: grapes, dates, wheat, barley, and millet." "Wine is what obscures the intellect." Muslim reported from Abu Hurayrah: "Wine is from these two trees," and he pointed to the grapevine and the date palm. Al-Bukhari reported from Anas: "Wine was prohibited when it was prohibited, and there was little wine made from grapes; most of our wine was from unripe and dried dates."

It is possible to respond that the intention of all of this is to clarify the ruling and to teach that what intoxicates is prohibited just as wine is. This is what the position of guidance necessitates, not the teaching of Arabic linguistics, especially since the addressees were at the utmost level of knowledge of it. What is said—that it is derived from the "obscuring" of the intellect, which exists in every intoxicant—does not necessitate generality, nor does it contradict the name being specific to what preceded. For instance, the word najm (star) is derived from "appearing," yet it is a specific name for the well-known celestial body, not for everything that appears. This is a common parallel.

Some middle-grounded and said: Khamr is literal in the language of the Arabs for that which is made from grape juice when it becomes intoxicating. When it is used for other things, it is metaphorical, except that the Lawgiver made it literal for every intoxicant that resembles its linguistic subject. Thus, in that regard, it is a legal reality, like prayer, fasting, and Zakat in their meanings known in the Law (Shari‘ah). The disagreement is strong, and because of its strength, and the consensus on calling the product of grapes khamr rather than intoxicants from other sources, they deemed the one who considers the former lawful an unbeliever, while they did not deem the one who considers the latter lawful an unbeliever. Rather, they said: the essence of the former is prohibited, not caused by intoxication, nor dependent upon it.

Whoever denies the prohibition of the essence and says that intoxication from it is prohibited because it is through that that corruption occurs, has disbelieved due to his rejection of the Book, for it named it "abomination" (rijs) therein, and rijs is prohibited in its essence. Thus, its large quantity is prohibited even if one does not become intoxicated, and likewise its small quantity, even a single drop, and its drinker is punished (hadd) absolutely. In the report: "Wine was prohibited for its essence," and in a narration: "for its very self, its small and large amount are the same, and intoxication from every drink." They said: Cooking does not affect it, because it is for preventing the establishment of the prohibition, not for lifting it after its establishment. However, one is not punished for it as long as one does not become intoxicated by it, based on the principle that the hadd punishment applies to a small quantity of the raw substance specifically, whereas this has been cooked.

As for other than that, if juice is cooked until less than two-thirds of it departs, it is the least cooked. It is called badhiq. Munsaf is that which has lost half its volume by cooking; it is prohibited according to us if it boils, intensifies, and casts off foam, or if it intensifies, according to the disagreement. Al-Awza‘i and most of the Mu‘tazilah said: It is permissible because it is a wholesome drink and is not wine. Our evidence is that it is a thin, pleasurable, and intoxicating liquid; that is why the wicked congregate for it, so its consumption is prohibited to prevent the corruption associated with it.

As for the infusion of dates (naqi‘ al-tamr), which is al-sukr—the raw juice of dates—it is prohibited and detested. Sharik said: It is permissible due to the favor of Allah, and it is not a prohibition. This is refuted by the consensus of the Companions, and the verse is interpreted as being in the initial stage, as the exegetes have agreed. It is also said that it was intended as a rebuke, meaning: "Do you take from it intoxicants while neglecting good provision?" As for the infusion of raisins—the raw juice of raisins—it is prohibited if it intensifies and boils. There is a disagreement regarding this from al-Awza‘i.

Raisin and date nabidh (beverage), if each is cooked slightly, is lawful even if it intensifies, provided that one drinks only as much as one believes will not cause intoxication, without frivolity or pleasure, according to Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf. According to Muhammad and al-Shafi‘i, it is prohibited. Nabidh of honey, figs, wheat, corn, barley, and grape juice—if it is cooked and two-thirds depart—is lawful according to the first and second Imams, and according to Muhammad and al-Shafi‘i, it is also prohibited. Later scholars issued legal opinions based on the view of Muhammad regarding all other beverages. Ibn Wahban mentioned that this is narrated from all of them, and he versified it, saying: "In our time, a limit was chosen, and they pronounced divorce for the one who becomes intoxicated by the intoxicant of grains, and it is narrated from all of them." Muhammad issued a fatwa on the prohibition of that which is small, which is the refined position. In my view, the truth from which one should not deviate is that any beverage made from anything other than grapes, however it may be, and by whatever name it is called—whenever it is of such a nature that one who is not accustomed to it becomes intoxicated, it is prohibited. Its small amount is like its large amount; its drinker is punished, his divorce (pronounced while intoxicated) takes effect, and its impurity is severe.

In the two Sahihs, it is narrated that he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was asked about the naqi‘—which is the beverage of honey—and he said: "Every drink that intoxicates is prohibited." Abu Dawud narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) prohibited every intoxicant and muftir (that which dulls the senses). It is authenticated: "Whatever intoxicates in a large amount, its small amount is prohibited." In another hadith: "What intoxicates by the faraq (a specific measure), a handful of it is prohibited." The hadiths are abundant on this matter. By my life, the assembly of the wicked in our time for the drinking of intoxicants other than "wine" and their desire for them is far greater than their assembly for and desire for "wine." They have given them names like ‘Anbariyyah, al-Iksir, and the like, thinking that these names remove them from prohibition and make their consumption lawful for the community. Far from it! The matter is beyond what they imagine. "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." Yes, the prohibition of these drinks is less than the prohibition of wine, so that the one who considers it lawful is not deemed an unbeliever, as we have mentioned, because it is a matter of legal reasoning (ijtihad). If one were to go so far as to declare them unbelievers, there would be very few people left in his hands today.

(And gambling [al-maysir]) is a noun of place or time derived from yasra (yusr), like maw‘id and marji‘. It is said: yasartuhu when you gamble with him. Its derivation is either from al-yusr (ease) because he takes wealth with ease, or from al-yasar (wealth) because it is a depletion of it. It is also said it is from "when they divide the thing." The gambler is called a yasir because, due to that act, the meat of the camel is divided. Al-Wahidi said: It is from "when the thing becomes due," and the yasir is the one who becomes obligated due to the arrow.

Its nature was that they had ten arrows which were the azlam (divining arrows): al-fadh, al-taw’am, al-raqib, al-hils, al-nafis, al-musbil, al-mu‘alla, al-manih, al-safih, and al-waghud. Each one had a known share from a camel they would slaughter and divide into twenty-eight portions, except for three: the manih, the safih, and the waghud. For the fadh, there was one share; for the taw’am, two shares; for the raqib, three; for the hils, four; for the nafis, five; for the musbil, six; and for the mu‘alla, seven. They would place them in a rababah (a pouch) and put them in the hands of a neutral person. He would shake them, then put his hand in and pull out an arrow in the name of each man. Whoever drew an arrow that had shares took the portion marked on that arrow, and whoever drew an arrow with no share took nothing and paid for the entire price of the camel while being deprived. They used to give those shares to the poor and would not eat from them, priding themselves on that, and they would criticize those who did not participate, calling him al-barm.

Al-Azhari conveyed another method for this and did not mention al-waghud among the names, but mentioned another. What al-Zamakhshari and many others relied upon is what we have mentioned. Someone has versified these names: "All the arrows of the gamblers are ten; they deposited them in open books... their shares are the fadh, the taw’am, the raqib, and the hils... then the nafis, and after it the musbil... the sixth is the mu‘alla, just like its name... the one who has it is the highest among the gamblers... and the waghud, the safih, and the manih are ignored, there is no profit in what is seen in them." In the ruling of this are all types of gambling, such as dice, chess, and others, to the point that they included in it the games of boys with walnuts, knuckle-bones, and drawing lots in non-divisional matters, and all types of risk and betting. Ibn Sirin said: "Everything that involves risk is of al-maysir."

The meaning of the verse "They ask you" is about what is in the engagement of these two matters. He pointed to the omission by His saying: "Say, 'In both of them is a great sin,'" for the intent is clearly in engaging in them. "...a great sin" in that consuming them leads to what necessitates sin, which is the abandonment of what is commanded and the performance of what is forbidden. "...and benefits for people" in terms of pleasure, joy, digestion of food, clarifying the complexion, strengthening sexual desire, encouraging the coward, making the stingy generous, and assisting the weak. These remain both before and after the prohibition, and claiming their removal after the prohibition is something incomprehensible, for which there is no evidence. The report, "Allah has not made the healing of my community in what He has forbidden for it," contains no proof when examined thoroughly, as is not hidden.

"...and their sin is greater than their benefit," meaning the corruptions that arise from them are greater than the benefits expected in them. Among the corruptions of wine is the removal of the intellect, which is the most noble characteristic of a human being. If it is an enemy to the noble, it follows that it must be the most base of things. The intellect is named ‘aql because it ya‘qilu—meaning it restrains its possessor from the abominations to which he is inclined by nature. When he drinks, that intellect which restrains from abominations vanishes, and his habit—which is his nature—takes over; thus he commits them and increases in them. Sometimes he becomes a laughingstock for children until his intellect returns to him. Ibn Abi al-Dunya mentioned that a drunkard was ordered to be brought while he was urinating on his hand and washing his face with it in the manner of one performing ablution, saying: "Praise be to Allah who made Islam a light and water a purifier."

It is narrated from al-‘Abbas ibn Mirdas that it was said to him during the Age of Ignorance: "Will you not drink wine, for it increases your warmth?" He said: "I am not one to take my ignorance in my hand and put it into my belly, and I am not satisfied to become the master of my people in the morning and their fool in the evening." Among its corruptions is that it turns one away from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer, and causes enmity and hatred, often resulting in killing between the drinkers during the drinking session. Another is that when a person becomes accustomed to it, his inclination toward it intensifies until it becomes almost impossible for him to separate from it or abandon it, and it may bequeath him diseases that are a cause of his destruction. Physicians have mentioned many bodily harms for it, as is not hidden to those who consult medical books. In short, if there were nothing in it but the removal of the intellect and the departure from the limits of uprightness, it would be enough. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Avoid wine, for it is the mother of all abominations." It has not been established at all that the prophets (peace be upon them) drank it at any time.

Among the corruptions of gambling is that it involves the consumption of wealth through falsehood, and that it invites many gamblers to theft, the loss of life, the neglect of dependents, the commitment of ugly matters and heinous vices, and the latent and manifest enmity. This is a witnessed matter that only one whom Allah has blinded and deafened would deny. Because the verse indicates the greatness of the corruptions, some scholars held that it is the one that prohibits wine, for if the corruption outweighs the benefit, it necessitates the prohibition of the action. Some added to that that it contains the information that there is a "great sin" in them, and sin is either the punishment or its cause, and neither is described as anything but prohibited. The truth is that the verse is not a definitive text regarding the prohibition, as Qatadah said, for the one who speaks may say: "Sin in the sense of corruption," and the outweighing of corruption does not necessitate the prohibition of the action, but rather its avoidance. Hence, the senior Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) drank it after its revelation and said: "We only drink what benefits us," and they did not refrain until the verse of Surat al-Ma'idah was revealed; it is the one that prohibits it from multiple angles, as will come, if Allah wills.

It is also read "much sin" (ithmun kathir). In the placing of sin first, its description as "great" or "much," and the delay in mentioning the benefits—while specifying them as "for people"—there is an indication of the dominance of the former that is not hidden. Ubayy read it as: "And their sin is closer than their benefit."

(And they ask you what they should spend.) Ibn Ishaq reported from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that a group of the Companions were commanded to spend in the way of Allah. They came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: "We do not know what this spending is that we have been commanded to do with our wealth, so what do we spend from it?" Then this was revealed. Before that, a man would spend his wealth until he found nothing to give in charity nor anything to eat, to the point that he had to be given charity.

Ibn Abi Hatim reported from the path of Aban from Yahya that it reached him that Mu‘adh ibn Jabal and Tha‘labah came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, we have servants and families, so what do we spend from our wealth?" Then Allah the Exalted revealed this verse. It is conjoined to "They ask you" before it, joining one story to another. It is said it was revealed regarding ‘Amr ibn al-Jumuh like its counterpart, as if he were asked first about the spender and the recipient, then asked about the manner of spending based on the answer. So the meaning is: They ask you about the description of what they spend. Say: al-‘afw (the surplus). Meaning, its description is that it should be ‘afw. The word "what" is for asking about the description, as one says "What is Zayd like?" and the answer is "generous," though this is rare in usage. The root of ‘afw is the opposite of effort; thus, the leveled, easy-to-tread earth is called ‘afw. The intent here is what is not burdensome in wealth. In a narration from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), it is "the excess from the family's needs." From al-Hasan, it is "what is not labored."

The two Shaykhs, Abu Dawud, and al-Nasa’i reported from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "The best charity is that which is from the back of sufficiency (wealth), and begin with those whom you support." Ibn Khuzaymah reported from him also that he said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: 'The best charity is what leaves behind sufficiency, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and begin with those whom you support. A woman says, "Spend on me or divorce me," and your slave says, "Spend on me or sell me," and your child says, "To whom are you entrusting me?"'"

Ibn Sa‘d reported from Jabir who said: "Abu Husayn al-Sulami came with something like a pigeon's egg of gold and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I found this from a mine, so take it; it is charity, and I own nothing else.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) turned away from him. Then he came to him from his right corner and said the same thing, so he turned away from him. Then he came from his left corner, so he turned away from him. Then he came from behind him, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) took it and threw it at him. If it had struck him, it would have hurt him or injured him, and he said: 'One of you comes with what he possesses and says, "This is charity," then he sits down begging from people. The best charity is what is from the back of sufficiency, and begin with those whom you support.'"

Abu ‘Amr read it in the nominative case (al-‘afwu) by estimating it as a subject: on "What they should spend" (as a subject and predicate), while the rest read it in the accusative case (al-‘afwa) by estimating the verb: "What do they spend—they spend the surplus" (as the object). This makes the answer correspond to the question.

(Thus does Allah make clear to you the verses), meaning just as He clarified that the surplus is better than the effort because it is more lasting for the household and of more benefit in the Hereafter. What is pointed to is what is understood from His saying (Exalted is He): "Say, 'The surplus.'" The use of the distant demonstrative pronoun despite its proximity is because it is a meaning mentioned beforehand. It is also permissible that what is pointed to is everything mentioned from His saying (Exalted is He): "They ask you what they should spend," for there is no specifier, and generalization is more beneficial, and proximity only suggests the close over other things. Making what is pointed to His saying (Exalted is He): "And their sin is greater than their benefit," is distant, as is not hidden. The kaf (in kadhalika) is in the place of the accusative as a description for an omitted object, and the lam in "the verses" is for the genus, meaning He clarifies for you the verses containing the rulings in a clarification like this clarification, either by revealing them with clear indication, or by removing their ambiguity through another verse, or by the clarification from the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

The external requirement would have been to say kadhalikum (to you all) to correspond with lakum (to you all), but it was singularized by interpreting it as the "tribe" or the group, which is singular in wording but plural in meaning, seeking brevity due to the frequency of the attachment of the sign of address to the demonstrative noun. It is said: The singularization is to indicate that the intended meaning is everyone who receives the speech, as in His saying (Exalted is He): "Then We pardoned you after that." The critique against this is that it would necessitate the multiplicity of address in a single speech without a conjunction, and that is not permissible, as al-Radi explicitly stated.

(That you might give thought), meaning to the verses so that you may derive the rulings from them and understand the interests and benefits tied to them. With this estimation, the hope for reflection is the purpose of clarifying the verses.