In Rabiul Abrar,1 Zamakhshari says that in the matter of pleasure, song and
music parties2 and Shahabuddin Abshahi in Mustatraf3 has said:
“Almighty Allah has revealed three verses regarding liquor. The first is the
statement of Allah, the Mighty and the High:
وَهُدُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيِّبِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَهُدُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ (٢٤)
“They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men.”4
Before the revelation of this verse, some people among Muslims used to
imbibe wine and some of them used to keep away from it; till a man came to
prayers while being intoxicated with wine and began to utter nonsense. At the
end of which the verse was revealed:
وَهُدُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيِّبِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَهُدُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ (٢٤)
“O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are intoxicated until you know (well) what you say.”5
After the revelation of this verse, some Muslim gave up drinking and some
continued to drink, till one day Umar drank wine and with a femur of camel
broke the head of Abdur Rahman bin Auf and then recited the verses of Aswad
bin Yafar on the killing of the infidels in the Battle of Badr:
In the center of the well – well of Badr – youths and nobles of Arabs were
placed. 2. In the center of the well – well of Badr, generous men of Arabs
embellished with greatness sleep.6 3.Son of Kabsha7 (Prophet of Islam) frightens
me from my becoming alive after death. How the decayed body, which worms. have eaten up, will become alive? 4. Does he have the power to remove death
from me and make me alive after my bones have decayed. 5. Is he a messenger,
who can convey to God that I omitted the fasts of the month of Ramadhan? 6. By
God, tell me if you can restrain me from drinking and by God, tell me if you are
able to deprive me from food.
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was informed about Umar’s drinking liquor and
reciting couplets, His Eminence was infuriated and he came out with his cloak
dragging on the ground and he hit on the head of Umar with what he had in hand
and Umar said: I seek refuge of God from the anger of God and His Messenger.
After that Almighty Allah revealed the verse:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ فِى ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ (٩١)
“The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring
in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and
to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from
prayer. Will you then desist?”8
At that moment Umar said: I give it up! I give it up!
2. It is narrated from Umar bin Khattab that when the verse of prohibition of
liquor was revealed, he said:
“O God, please make the command of liquor completely clear for me.” After
that the verse,
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ
“They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance.”9
…was revealed, which is mentioned in Surah Baqarah. When the verse was
revealed, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) summoned Umar and recited the verse to him.
He said the second time: “O God, make it clearer.” After that the verse of Surah
Nisa was revealed:
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلوةَ وَانْتُمْ سُكْرَى
“O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are intoxicated.”10