The harmful effect of smoking
It is no doubt that tobacco smoking is a slow killer. That is why it is prohibited from the point of view of religion.
Here are some facts of the harmfulness of smoking:
1. Tobacco smoking belongs to the category of actions that develop addiction and dependence. Thus it is prohibited action that is described in the Koran in the following way: “He (the Messenger of God) forbids you all that is vicious (bad, malignant, harmful, disgusting in smell) ...” (Sura Al-A’raf, ayah 157).
2. Smoking is classified as a “bad habit” in all communities. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said (meaning): “Islam forbids doing harm to oneself or to another.” (Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Majah). That is, harming oneself and other people through smoking contradicts the norms of Muslim morality and ethics.
3. Smoking affects the human body and gradually destroys it. The last Scripture, the Koran, says (meaning): “… and do not kill yourselves. Indeed, the Almighty is merciful to you.” (Sura An-Nisa, ayah 29).
4. A smoker spends his wealth on what is harmful, both to him and to those around him. The Holy Koran states (meaning), “Surely the wasteful are (like) brothers to the devils. And the devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord.” (Sura Al-Isra, ayah 27).
In addition, a report by a WHO expert committee, entitled “Smoking and Health” stated that the number of deaths caused by cigarettes is larger than the number of deaths caused by all epidemic diseases combined and that smoking now causes more deaths than were caused by the most dangerous epidemics in the past.
