Islam & Alcohol: Shame and Fear of Muslims who Drink Alcohol
Asad is 33 and goes to great lengths to hide his drinking from family and friends. "It is totally frowned upon in the Muslim community. "That is not to say our elders didn't drink. Some of them did but if someone finds out you drink it can bring great shame upon you. My wife doesn't know I drink. When we go out I always stay over at a friends place so there is never any comeback."
Asad said his wife became suspicious of his actions but he lied about what he was doing. "I came home once and I had been drinking. Normally she is asleep but this time she was awake. I went straight to the bathroom and pretended to be ill. She asked me if I was okay and I just ignored her. I made sure I didn't come home drunk again."
"Although I feel a little ashamed it is not as if I do it on a regular basis. I just like to let my hair down and have a good time every now and then."
Source: Asian Image
One thing that I find most remarkable about this is how similar this description would be to someone hiding the fact that they are gay, that they use illegal drugs, masturbation, that they are really into pornography, etc. As with these and so many other things, we are looking at actions which religion insists are shameful and this in turn produces all sorts of guilt when people go do them anyway.
Why should people have to be ashamed and lie to others just to "let their hair down and have a good time now and then"? Because by controlling people’s ability to experience pleasure, religions are able to exert a great deal more control over people and their lives generally.
Mehboob started drinking regularly whilst at University. "When it comes to alcohol my culture and relgion is in complete contrast to the way I was brought up."
"I have white friends who think it is quite strange I have to hide my drinking from people. It is not that I am ashamed or embarrassed but I just don't want people saying to my mum that her son drinks. I go to places where there are going to be few Asians. Once I was with my friends and a taxi-driver who knew my dad walked in."
"Thankfully, he didn't say anything to anyone."
People like Mehboob might have an easier time avoiding alcohol if they didn't live in a western, secular society, but would that really be better for them? In that case, people would also have far fewer opportunities to learn they can have a life outside the narrow regulations of Islam. You don't need to live according to religious dogmas — Muslim, Christian, Jewish, whatever — in order to live a good life or be a good person.
As one would probably expect, drinking alcohol is an even more difficult issue for women:
Faz is 23 years-old and started drinking when she was 18. "I have a close group of friends who I trust explicitly. It's not as if we go drinking all the time but every now and then I don't see anything wrong with it."
"I used to drink more when I was at Uni because I was living away from home but when you move back home it is more difficult especially for a girl."
"If my parents ever found out I would be in so much trouble."
So Faz is basically unable to live her life in a manner she regards as appropriate and reasonable because her parents won't be able to accept her moving beyond the boundaries of traditional Islam. Although the subject of this disagreement is alcohol, it could be repeated in numerous other contexts: clothing, intimate relationships, forms of entertainment, etc.
At least some Muslims have become quite open about drinking alcohol — no shame, no apologies, and no lies:
Zeg, 29 began drinking in his teens and feels there is no point in hiding at all. "I don't really care who finds out. So what if I drink? I know it's haram but what is it to anyone. ...I got stopped once coming out of a pub by someone who knew me. I told him where to go. So what if I am not a good Muslim? That's between me and god."
In the long term, the more Muslims who can be comfortable and unashamed about behaving in ways that contradict traditional Muslim norms the better. This might sound very strange to say, but it's the situation we already have with Christianity and Judaism, and I think that it's highly relevant to the lower amounts of violence and terrorism in those religions.
Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibited in Islam?
Read detailed article from Zakir Naik:
http://www.ilovezakirnaik.com/misconceptions/a12.htm
“Because by controlling people’s ability to experience pleasure, religions are able to exert a great deal more control over people and their lives generally.”
I believe it’s even more insidious than that. The “leaders” can redirect all of the pent up frustrations of their “followers” to serve their own agenda. Such thinking is probably behind the old idea that men should not have sex before going into battle.
Khurram, I really don’t care why alcohol is prohibited in Islam. Any organization that prevents people from doing things that do not harm others is tyrranical.
Of course, wine is often mentioned in Persian poetry. (”A jug of wine, a book of verse and thou beside me in the wilderness” kind of stuff) I’m not sure how people get around that. Maybe by some sort of allegorical interpretation.
When I was in India I visited a friend and her family, who were very secular, educated Muslims. We went to a party where the only one who didn’t drink was me, a Jew.
Sadly, this article is really shallow. Think about this:
What does alcohol do? If you drink…most people would drink and get drunk. It influences someone to lose their senses. It makes people aggressive. It makes people flirtatious. It makes people horny. It’s addictive. It causes liver problems.
Fine, you want to let your hair down. Dance because you can’t dance when you’re sober. Socialize when you really socialize better if you’re drinking. If only everyone knows their limits. But of course, that’s the toughest thing to do, right? To Be RESPONSIBLE. You drink, and then what? Have one-night stands. Have fights. Spend a lot of money. Make new friends? Maybe a few enemies too (cause it seems that you cannot control what you say or are ‘HONEST’ when you’re drunk). And the noise! You have more fun when you drink don’t you? You suddenly OWN the place. You forget about other people and disrespect them because…you’re just confident like that. The drink helps you overcome your shyness that way. Wow…dat’s..”great”!
And then you’re upset. You’re stressed. You’re depressed. And you start having a drink when you wake up, before going to work, while at work, after work. You’ve developed high tolerance for it by now. And you think it’s not going to hurt. And is it safe to say you’re an ALCOHOLIC now? And just like smoking, soon you’ll have health complications. But it’s a habit.
ALCOHOL is a DRUG. People take painkillers to eliminate pain. What’s the difference with alcohol?
You say, people misuse alcohol? They just asked for it if they don’t know how to control themselves or limit themselves?
Whatever it is, try and understand that. That Islam does not prohibit the believers from doing anything that doesn’t BENEFIT them. It is not shallow like you are. Just because the westerners make it look and seem so HIP and HAPPENING, doesn’t mean that it’s so great. The western side has been a major influence to modernizing people from all parts of the world and races. Unfortunately, they have succeeded to make their culture, THE culture.
Hello. You can enjoy life here on earth in the now as much as you like. But don’t try to brainwash other people into thinking what Islam is NOT about living life to the fullest. If you get people to talk about it and want to write an article on this issue, FIND OUT THE REASONS WHY from other people who has the ANSWERS. NOT CONDEMN THE RELIGION AND ITS TEACHINGS. You are only blinding yourself.
Feel free to show how. Note: this would require doing more than simply explaining why you disagree with alcohol use.
Do they? Do you have numbers and statistics that demonstrate this, or are you just making assumptions about others who do things you disapprove of?
Alcohol, especially in certain forms like red wine, have proven health benefits.
That’s quite can accusation. Can you back it up?
That’s true, but also irrelevant.
Well, if you wish to argue that Islam is about “living life to the fullest,” then make your case.
You’re implying that I have written falsehoods about Islam. Feel free to show where, or explain what you mean by the aove.
I think there is plenty to condemn in Islam and its teachings — and I have done so more than once here.
Feel free to show how, If you can.
“In the long term, the more Muslims who can be comfortable and unashamed about behaving in ways that contradict traditional Muslim norms the better. This might sound very strange to say, but it’s the situation we already have with Christianity and Judaism, and I think that it’s highly relevant to the lower amounts of violence and terrorism in those religions.”
How exactly is that HIGHLY relevant to terrorism and violence? It seems more like a really abstract connection. I think you are gravely overlooking much of the political and economic situations of most countries that have high levels of terrorism, let alone their history. Aside from that, the largest population of Muslims (by country) is in Indonesia. That is not a nation heavily plagued with terrorism. Saudi Arabia also has very little internal terrorism. It is actually quite a stable nation. If Muslims being comfortable and unashamed of behaving against certain norms of a religion can help reduce violence and terrorism, then it should probably apply to every Muslim nation. This is definatly an issue that has to do with politics and economics, not the acceptance of social misdemeanors.I really doubt that if Afghanistan was more leniant about drinking that they would have less terrorism. Perhaps if they weren’t a 3rd world country with little recognition in the international playing field… well then there might be a slight reduction in the level of violence, no?
Maybe you are overlooking the fact that many Muslims may actually not support drinking because they really do believe it is unhealthy for the body and mind. Many people view alcohol that way regardless of religion. There are even medical professionals who believe that. I’m sure there are even athiests who believe that. Who would have thought that an entire religion could express that idea too? It’s just madness!
For just the reason I said: it’s already the situation we have in Judaism and Christianity. Their scriptures are no less supportive of violence in name of God and religion than Muslim scriptures, but enough believers have moved beyond taking everything in those texts literally and give up traditional norms. The Christianity of today is radically different from the Christianity of 100, 500, or 1000 years ago.
I think you’re overlooking the fact that nations with similar economic and political situations don’t create suicide bombers.
It is also a country which has, traditionally, had more liberal interpretations of Islam and Muslim traditions. Thank you for helping make my point.
Funny, but most 3rd world nations with little recognition in the international playing field don’t produce or support worldwide terrorism.
The simple fact is, Muslims would oppose drinking alcohol even if it were proven that it were healthy. Medical arguments are rationalization, not a reason.
alcoholism is unlawful in islam
that is reason of heart diseases and also kidney its also a reason of road accidents so plz leave it always
thanks a million…Ali jamali from pakistan sindh university
Islam strongly condemns the use of alcohol because of the personal and social problems it creates. It makes people more venerable and can place them in highly risky positions. But to drink or not to drink is a personal choice. I don’t drink because I am a Muslim and I don’t drink because my religion wisely explains why I shouldn’t. But what frustrates me those who claim to be Muslims and yet have nothing in their practice to prove that they are. Religions play a vital role in our society they support in creating a social order and social control. If you do not wish to follow it don’t criticise it, respect those who don’t drink and make those aware who drink of the consequences of drinking habits such as liver problems, heart attacks, Stomach ulcers and much more. No one goes out to drink sensibly alcohol starts to control you when you lose control on your self. so my advice is to keep you’re self safe because you are the most important person to you, do not interfere in the life’s of others protect you’re self because when you die and if your god fearing then remember on the day of judgements you will be only speaking for yourself not others.
So, it’s your position that moderate drinking is impossible?
Is it your position that social order and social control would be impossible without religion? Do you wish to argue that secular theists and secular atheists can’t have social order and social control? If not, then religion is completely dispensible.
Why? It doesn’t make sense to suggest that we shouldn’t ever criticize something we don’t participate in.
You don’t drink, yet you don’t seem to have a problem criticizing that. Why don’t you follow your own advice of “if you don’t wish to follow [do] it, don’t criticize it”? Why is it OK for you to criticize others’ drinking, but not OK for others to criticize Muslim arguments for not drinking?
Maybe you would, but I don’t think that you should assume that everyone else will.
I have one outstanding objection here.
The non use of alcohol is somehow confined to Muslims and it is honorable.
No 1 there are Christian sects that prohibit
alcohol and equally as honorable as Muslims. i.e. not very.
No 2 Total abstinence is a personal choice and
so should it be.
No3 I am a,very long, life total abstainer and just as long life an ATHEIST. I don’t impose my abstinence on others nor did I proselytise or enforced, by infant indoctrination, my ways upon my children.
Being a total abstainer doesn’t, ipso facto,
qualify you for sainthood. From my perspective it is just common sense. I don’t need some childish ideology to convince me.
tomedgar@halenet.com.au
Shamylla:
You are being controlled by Islam, especially if you are a women. I really can’t understand why a women is blamed if she gets raped and the 3 or 4 men also involved get away free.
That stated, makes me believe that is Islam is your form of alcohol and should be avoided at all cost.
moderate drinking is possible… in Christianity only and drunkenness is sinful, alcohol all together is prohibited in Islam and in many other religions such as Sikhism, Hinduism etc… the national health service in u-k has introduced sensible drinking limits (2-3 female and 3- 4 men units per day) to keep people healthy and sober but tell me who goes out to drink wisely and sensibly (apart from you)? Young people go out to get drunk and have a good time they don’t follow sensible drinking unit system. I am not contradicting those who drink we are all independent in this country and accountable for our own actions but why do you hold such malice against those who don’t drink (whats so great about drinking)? And Aspentroll as for you I am not controlled by my religion I think its people like you who are brain washed by media and incorrect interpretations of religion. I think you need to have explicit knowledge before you make comments based on your personal observations. A woman in Islam is precious most loved and looked after its culture of many different and unsociable countries, cities and villages that use religion to manipulate people.
Austin: Is it your position that social order and social control would be impossible without religion? Do you wish to argue that secular theists and secular atheists can’t have social order and social control? If not, then religion is completely dispensible.
Austin I think you have to remember that this entire world doesn’t live a western lifestyle where people can openly be atheists, non-believers and secular. There is a whole world out there which is relies on religion, religion is law, and religion is every day practice and for those religion is a means of social order and control (my reference to religion creating social control was to reflect on one its purpose is our society and our lives). Just because we are fortunate enough to be living in a civilized environment where views and opinions are valued doesn’t mean that the rest of the world is also in the similar position.
I was born Muslim but as an adult I had the choice to be who I wanted to and follow what I wanted to therefore I have studies my religion in a language I understood and believe me you there is nothing more beautiful than being a true Muslim in heart where I am taught to respect others be loyal and love my community and best of all to keep safe. I don’t drink to protect my health but who will protect me from those who drink of extensively that they than cause violence and hassle to others?
Anything can be abused. If alcohol should be prohibited merely because it can be abused in ways that lead to health problems, why not prohibit fatty foods, cholesterol, and driving fast?
Feel free to show where I have expressed any malice.
Note: criticism is not the same as malice.
You mean, like that young girl in Somalia who was stoned to death for being raped?
That is true, and it’s a sign of how oppressive and backwards other places are.
The fact that religion is relied upon for social order does not answer the question social order can exist without religion.
So, being a “true Muslim” is “more beautiful” (superior? what?) than being an atheist?
People don’t need to drink to cause violence and harass others. If we could wave a magic wand and cause all alcohol to simply disappear, violence and harassment would not also disappear. Indeed, I doubt if it would even drop much. These problems are the fault of the people in question, not alcohol.
The Quran claims to be unedited and unrevised since its conception, this is boasted above all else by muslims..
The Quran was designed to be extremely vague as to allow people in the future to freely interpret it and adapt it to current trends. While the text itself remains unchanged, the way its comprehended and applied to daily life, which is the essence of a religion itself, is in the hands of the leading religious scholars of the day, NOT God.
Here’s an example.. by the way the ‘Hanafi’ school of Islamic thought is the largest and most prevalent school in the Islamic world, with 80%+ of all muslims following it.
“Abu Hanifa held that “wine” (the fermented juice of dates or grapes) was absolutely prohibited. But he thought it was permissible to drink small non-intoxicating amounts of other alcoholic beverages (e.g. made from honey or grains). Later Hanafi scholars tend to rule that all alcoholic beverages are prohibited regardless of source.”
What? People who claim no supernatural status can modify the religion based on their own opinions. I fail to see any sign of a supernatural, omnipotent ‘God’ authoring something so rampant with logical fallibilities.
As said here by the original author, its all meant to control the way in which people experience and perceive pleasure. This has deep psychological results which effectively turn a person into an emotionless ‘carrier’ who’s sole cause is to propagate the religion and species.
I really could go on forever about this, I’ve studied it to incredible depths, and I dont want to. I plead with everyone reading this to use your intellect as a tool, which is hopefully still existent and competent enough, to analyze Islam from a 3rd person perspective with an open mind.
As a background, I consider myself a born muslim, and self-liberated athiest. Myself and my siblings are direct bloodline(mom and dad) descendants of the prophet Muhammad. I’m a Harvard medical school graduate and a final year resident in psychiatry.
”If we could wave a magic wand and cause all alcohol to simply disappear, violence and harassment would not also disappear. Indeed, I doubt if it would even drop much. These problems are the fault of the people in question, not alcohol”
austin I agree that violence and crimes will always exist even if you take away alcohol, but disagree with you if you think it won’t bring any change. just imagine I am not saying that this should happen but if no alcohol was sold on Friday and Saturday evening do you not think that the police will be able to go home on time, do you not think that late night hospital staff would have peaceful weekend do you not think 80% people will be able to drive home safely, do you not think people will be less vulnerable to be mugged and assaulted.
‘You mean, like that young girl in Somalia who was stoned to death for being raped?’ oh and this comment of yours how disgusting why did you not copy and paste the whole statement? I had also said its culture of many different and unsociable countries, cities and villages that use religion to manipulate people. People abuse power in the name of religion. I hate people who claim to be Muslims and yet understand nothing about the religion. I can also understand where you’re bitterness towards Islam is coming from you only hear and see what the media portrays and if you’re negative about something you will never see the positive side of it. ‘That is true, and it’s a sign of how oppressive and backwards other places are’ that’s a very cruel comment yes people are backward, yes places are still oppressive but do you know why? because they didn’t get the same education as you, because they can not go traveling like you, because they don’t have the funds to go abroad for studies, because there are no jobs so they can be employed, because they are too poor to stand up for their rights, because they are so helpless to bring change, because they do the labor work and get only 10peance for the designer goods you buy for £200. ‘So, being a “true Muslim” is “more beautiful” (superior? what?) than being an atheist’? There is nothing more beautiful than being a true Muslim in heart for ‘ME’ Austin not anyone else. No it doesn’t make me superior it teaches me to love and respect everyone, to treat people like human and equally, to help people and to appreciate life. social control is possible without religion but I was making references to the historic functions of religion when law and order wasn’t in place and sadly undeveloped part of the world still uses religion and unfortunately not correctly.
No.
I copied what was relevant.
Isn’t it interesting how unsafe that girl was even without alcohol present.
And it’s much easier to abuse much more power in the name of religion than in any secular philosophy.
How do you know that?
”There is nothing more beautiful than being a true Muslim in heart for ‘ME’ ”
I am living an independent life, I socialise with people from very diverse backgrounds, I have seen the up’s and down’s of life, I have caring and loyal friends, I have a loving family and a loving husband (oh before you jump to conclusions I wasn’t forced into the marriage, I loved my husband prior to us getting married so it was a marriage of choice, which Islam strongly approves) , I have a job that I truly enjoy, I am outgoing, I am politically engaged, I contribute to the society as an active citizen, I have faith, I am successful, I am modest, I haven’t missed out on anything in life and my religion has never stopped me from enjoying life to its fullest. I thank god every day for blessing me with a beautiful life and ‘Imaan’ (Becoming true to the trust with respect to which Allah Has confided in me). I have achieved almost everything in the 26 years of my life within the context of Islam that’s why I feel there couldn’t have been anything more beautiful then being a true person a true Muslim in heart. Again this is a personal view I am not speaking for others.
So you admit that you don’t really know what it’s like to be anything. So, you can’t know that nothing else could be as good, never mind better.
You should have stuck with simply saying that being a Muslim has been good for you. Asserting that nothing could possibly be better is a much more dramatic assertion that you can’t support and can’t possibly claim to know for sure.
Making such an assertion does, however, strongly suggest a failure to think seriously and carefully about alternatives out there. It suggests ideological blinders. This is revealed in your original assertion where you didn’t bother to qualify your statement that there is nothing more beautiful than being a Muslim for you. Your original assertion was more generally worded to apply to all people everywhere.
You say that you don’t believe you are superior to others, but many of the other things you write suggest otherwise. Perhaps you should take a step back and reevaluate what you really feel here.
but it does harm people. alcohol kills so many. its the root of many bad things. that and well bad intentions.
there is no end right?
soon we’ll have to accept other things.
who is society to decide for us?
society is composed of the individual and the individual is flawed.
i don’t need a group of erring humans to decide for me what is write and wrong.
and to say that people hiding their drinking is one of the reasons that terrorism and violence exist in these religions is ridiculous.
and abuse in humans is related to alcohol consumption.
peace.
The same can be said about many things besides alcohol. Do you refuse to eat fatty food or drive cars?
Who said you did?
You are completely misreading and misrepresenting what I wrote.
‘You should have stuck with simply saying that being a Muslim has been good for you. Asserting that nothing could possibly be better is a much more dramatic assertion that you can’t support and can’t possibly claim to know for sure’.
Austin i dont think you’re anyone to tell me how i should word what i feel i am proud to be what i am and i am proud muslim.
‘ So you admit that you don’t really know what it’s like to be anything. So, you can’t know that nothing else could be as good’, never mind better
i dont think i am missing out on much by not drinking alcohol, thank god i dont get carried home on a Saturday night and feel like shit (hangover)for the next two day’s and thank god i don’t phone up at work on a monday morning with a lame excuse for not coming in.
‘ The same can be said about many things besides alcohol. Do you refuse to eat fatty food or drive cars’
Emmm I don’t recall to any incidents that cause violence on streets due to eating fatty food…does anyone else? There is no law that says you can’t eat fatty food and drive. Far more accidents on roads are related to drink and driving than careless driving.
If you word things in a way that causes you to claim knowledge that you can’t possibly have, others have a right to suggest that you rephrase. I explained why your claim was a problem and instead of offering a counter-argument for why you don’t think it was problematic, you simply become indignant and insist that your wording shouldn’t be criticized. Do you see the problem in that?
I didn’t say anything about missing out on drinking alcohol, so this is just a red herring. Since you avoid actually addressing the substance of what I wrote, can I take it that you recognize that what I wrote is correct but don’t want to say so?
1. I was responding to your comment that alcohol “does harm people. alcohol kills so many. its the root of many bad things.” So I did not assert that fatty food causes violence in the streets — and I think you know this. I think you changed the context in order to deliberately make it appear as if I asserted something other than what I wrote.
2. Are you going to address the fact the fatty goods harm people, kills many, and is at the root of many bad things? If you think those are good reasons to refuse to drink alcohol, then you have three options: use them as reasons not to eat fatty foods (as well as other things that cause harm and death), continue eating fatty foods anyway and be a hypocrite, or admit that your original statement was overly broad and amend it.
3. I think I perceive a pattern of not wanting to admit overly broad generalizations that can be shown to have implications that are false or inappropriate. How hard is it to say “I phrased that badly, let me reword it”?
There’s no law saying that you can’t drink alcohol, either, so that’s about as irrelevant a response as one could write.
I happen to know that this is false, at least in the United States, but since you are in another country I’ll give you the opportunity to either support your claim or retract it.
“Because by controlling people’s ability to experience pleasure, religions are able to exert a great deal more control over people and their lives generally.”
I believe it’s even more insidious than that. The “leaders” can redirect all of the pent up frustrations of their “followers” to serve their own agenda. Such thinking is probably behind the old idea that men should not have sex before going into battle.
This can happen anywhere and not just with religion. Look at our own society. Laws against marijuana were tightened when it was associated with people who weren’t following the leaders’ agenda in Vietnam.
Emmm I don’t recall to any incidents that cause violence on streets due to eating fatty food…does anyone else?
Austin’s right. You’re changing the subject. But I’ll address your implication which is basically nobody should ever drink alcohol because people sometimes commit acts of violence under the influence.
Still doesn’t prove that all alcohol use is harmful. People get violent if they get really, really drunk. Most people who drink alcohol do not get into fights. People who do that wind up in jail and if they know what’s good for them they stop drinking or at least cut down enough so they stop getting into fights otherwise they go back to jail. Those who don’t get into fights and also don’t drive drunk don’t wind up in jail. What’s wrong with that? If a person can drink and not be violent and if they don’t drive drunk they’re not hurting other people. And if they don’t do it all the time and they don’t let it get in the way of their responsibilities then they’re not really hurting themselves either.
Oops somehow everything wound up in italics. Sorry.
Anyways I just found this website that says that Muslims get to drink in paradice, but ONLY if they haven’t drunk in real life.
Of course denying people pleasure in the now is easier if you promise them everything in the hereafter.
http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/Fatwa/ShowFatwa.php?lang=E&Id=281&Option=FatwaId
I find it amusing that you associate alcohol with pleasure. The only pleasure that you might get from alcohol itself is the taste.
What alcohol does is inhibits your self.
What seperate humans from animals is our consciousness and alcohol removes that and frees our animal instincts.
Alcohol has absolutely no benefits and does nothing for society. It harms your heart,stomach,mouth and liver.
If a religion prohibitted trans fats because they were bad for you would you be opposed to that?
“In the long term, the more Muslims who can be comfortable and unashamed about behaving in ways that contradict traditional Muslim norms the better. This might sound very strange to say, but it’s the situation we already have with Christianity and Judaism, and I think that it’s highly relevant to the lower amounts of violence and terrorism in those religions. ”
Muslims that live in ways the condradict Islam would no longer be muslims would they? essentially you are saying the more people that are not muslim, the better.
If anything alcohol increases incidents of violence. I guarantee that more people die from alcohol related incidents than from “terrorism”.
Humans have been fighting from day one. They delineate themselves, always seeking seperation and acceptance. There are always groups fighting other groups. If people are not fighting on religious ideology then they fight over something else, this has absolutely nothing to do with religion nor would acceptance of alcohol or other intoxicants solve this problem.
Take a look at the crime rate in secular societies vs religious societies…it is always higher in secular societies and these crimes are normally violent.
I support your right to be an atheist but if you are going to attack religion on something try to find something useful to society that religion prohibits.
The people quoted in your article are not ashamed of consuming alcohol, they are ashamed of dissapointing their parents and family in general, this has nothing to do with religion.
No, that’s not true.
No, that’s not true either.
That’s false as well.
I would evaluate transfats on their own merits and ignore what religion has to say.
Only if you assume that the “traditional norms” can never change.
Actually, what I am saying is that the more people are not beholden to traditional religious norms, the better.
You mean “religion,” not “alcohol.”
OK, let’s take a look. Provide your numbers.
@ FreeChagos – Yeah, like lots and lots of virgins!
By the way “shamylla syed”, I have consumed alcoholic beverages in moderation most of my life and have NEVER been out of control or committed any crimes because of that consumption! I don’t “need” them, I enjoy them occasionally, and I don’t consume them to “get drunk.” Have you heard the phrase “guns don’t kill people, people do”? Alcohol doesn’t cause people to act irrationally, people do! It’s all about personal responsibility! By the way, I don’t need any organized ideaology to help me act responsibly either.
Ali says:
alcoholism is unlawful in islam
that is reason of heart diseases and also kidney its also a reason of road accidents so plz leave it always
I would like to insert a little balance here.
A few years ago, a cousin of mine, aged 82, passed away.
He was a life-long, devout Methodist, non-drinker and non-smoker.
He died of liver cancer!
Our life didn’t come with any guarantees.
We often read of someone who subsisted on a bottle of Scotch every day, smoked Havana cigars to his heart’s content, and lived until 105.
Others, healthy to the nth degree, suddenly succumb to an innocuous ailment at a young age, like one of my friends at 45.
Live and let live is a favorite maxim of mine!
That, unfortunately, is not the case with Muslims.
Also, unfortunately, Islam’s harsh Sharia law doesn’t stop with alcohol, but pervades every single facet of Muslim life, exerting total control until they don’t have a mind of their own!
Of course, Muslims will defend their religion, even its strict rules and regulations. Dare they do anything else?They’ve been brainwashed since birth and have never experienced the freedoms enjoyed by others.
If they want to wallow in a life of misery, let them do so, BUT, don’t allow them to impose it on us!
What seperate humans from animals is our consciousness and alcohol removes that and frees our animal instincts. — KMA on March 31, 2009 at 12:59 am
You could replace the word “alchohol” with the word “Islam” and still have a true sentence. The baleful effects of Islam are more tenacious than those of alcohol, however.
I am reminded of the famous exchange between Bessie Braddock and Winston Churchill:
Braddock: “Mr. Churchill, this is a disgrace. You are quite drunk.”
Churchill: “And Bessie, you are ugly. You are very ugly. In the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”
KMA… You are so wrong with your statements regarding crime and religion. Unarguably the U S A is the most religion bound country in the “Western” world by far, but with only 5% of the world’s population it has 25% of the world’s prison population. The violent crime rate in the United States is so far ahead of the rate in Scandinavia and Europe that the figures become meaningless. One city alone outstripping the whole of,the largely secular, U.K. The American crime level is only matched by the U S unique level of violent judiciary retribution.
I also take issue with others regarding consumption of alcohol not being a primary cause of violence and anti social behaviour.
In my early years I spent considerable time as a mariner and saw too much violence and
ill mannered behaviour, solely brought about by consumption of alcohol releasing the inhibitions sobriety maintained. You say, and do, when drunk what you think when sober.
So yes the person is the problem but alcohol releases the restraints. Just as a perfectly good driver becomes, in his drunken mind, even better but then so often,sadly disillusioned.
As a lifelong total abstainer from personal choice, I had no qualms when purchasing the occasional Tia Maria for my wife whilst consuming a non alcoholic beverage myself.
From reading the apologists for Islam, or for Christianity or even Judaism I gather they are claiming some sort of superior morality
engendered from being adherents of their particular ideologies. If that is your reason for being “GOOD”, it is a damned poor excuse. My personal behaviour has included but the one woman in my life, which has remained so eleven years after her death, and forty six years of marriage. I don’t attend race courses, nor casinos, by choice and, maybe,financial circumstance. I’ve never been a thief,hit a woman, nor started a fight.I don’t need some imaginary Sky monster to frighten me into being good. I try to be as nice to people as I would wish in return. And all because it is MY choice. Besides my Mom wouldn’t have approved of anything else.
I chose yesterday to bring a can of beer as my family walked to my mother’s house for dinner. I did so partly out of the desire to be seen publicly consuming alcohol. Partly because I wanted a cold beer before dinner.
My wife bugged me and asked where my wife-beater shirt was, but I asked her if that “white-trash” image was the reason for public alcohol consumption being disapproved of, or if it were yet another form of religious disapproval, dressed up in a secular garment. We agreed to disagree, but I think it has more to do with traditional religious control – which is why I took such delight in using the beverage holder in the baby’s stroller for the purpose it was intended for. Well, sort-of intended for.
I am a muslim woman living with my 5 years daughter I started drinking alcohol after my divorce from my ex-husband, It started with a lot of vomiting and nausea ans stomach ache and I wondered what was so spacial about it and very slowly over a period of year my body developed an immune to alcohol!
I was feeling guilty every time I drank but after I have my drink the problems seemed to go a way for an hour and afterwords I would be even more depressed before I had my first drink so I thought will maybe another drink will do it and so on …
nobody knew about this until last year when I had my DUI arrest and I almost went to jail… but god was mereciful and I did not and I had to dig deeper inside me to find out why I needed to drink in the first place. I was trying to run away from my problems and stress … the problem seemed to go a way for few hours and then it will come back with all that guilt from drinking. and then I reliased something about all this issue, that my worst day sober was so much better than my best day under the influence, I am glad I stopped and it dose not even occur to me now to even think about drinking. I am much happier person now I pray all 5 prayers ever day and I feel more blessed in my life since I abounded alcohol. I hope what I said could help all people Muslims and non Muslims and it is not about the religion in my case it is about how bad it was for me.
I think choosing to drink or not to drink should completely be in the hands of the person who will be consuming the alcohol. I have personally chosen not to do it because of religion but I do hang out with a bunch of people [some of them Muslims] who do drink every once in a while. I believe that it is completely up to them to choose if its right or wrong as they have probably thought about it before having their first drink.
I’ve seen a couple of the other comments. Some of them mentioned how alcohol causes diseases and that would be why, according to the author of these comments, consuming alcohol is prohibited in Islam [which I agree with]. I have also seen other comments however which state that there is such a thing as consuming alcohol moderately and responsibly which will probably not lead to diseases, drunk driving or other accidents [which I also agree with]. I think that both of these statements are right but I also think that it is wrong if you are a Muslim and you are trying to justify your drinking with moderate consumption. I mean, you do have freewill and a choice; religion is not exactly forcing you to do anything but religion does have rules. And truly speaking its about faith: if you do drink that would be your choice and thats fine but Islam does say don’t consume alcohol. So I don’t see why a Muslim would try to justify their drinking.Its not permitted and that’s the bottomline.
As for other people like parents and such, you can’t really expect them to just be happy with your consumption of alcohol. I mean choosing to drink is a choice that you believe is right but trying to get your muslim parents [who have always believed that drinking is wrong] to just accept it is not exactly acceptable. I guess that would be because Islam does require parents to direct their kids to the right way by following the rules of religion. Islam does also say that not doing so is a form of sinning for the parents. So just think of it with the perspective of parents: they have always lived as muslims; they consider drinking to be wrong and not prohibiting their kids from drinking is a form of sinning for them and in a way it makes them feel that they have failed as Muslims. Sooo basically what i’m trying to say is that I agree that drinking is your choice and that’s fine but I do not think that you should expect your parents or relatives to simply agree with that. I mean yes, having fear and shame for the actions that you take part in, does make one’s life a real pain. I completely understand that a muslim who does drink would be much happier if he didn’t have these feelings when he drank but do try to think of it with other people’s perspectives.