In the Name of
Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
43. Ya
ayyuha allatheena amanoo la taqraboo alssalata
waantum sukara hatta taAAlamoo ma taqooloona
wala junuban illa AAabiree sabeelin hatta
taghtasiloo wa-in kuntum marda aw AAala safarin aw jaa ahadun
minkum mina algha-iti aw lamastumu alnnisaa
falam tajidoo maan fatayammamoo saAAeedan tayyiban faimsahoo
biwujoohikum waaydeekum inna Allaha kana AAafuwwan ghafooran
4:43. O you who
believe! Go not to prayer while you are under the influence of intoxication30,
31, until you know what you say, nor while you are in an unclean state –
unless on the move from one place to another – until you take a bath. And if
you are ill, or on a journey, or any of you has come from the toilet or you
have been in sexual contact with the women, and you cannot get water, simulate
the cleaning act then with pure earth, wiping your faces and your hands
therewith. Indeed, Allah is Lenient, Forgiving.
30. The human mind can be intoxicated in
several ways. And the very next phrase in this Verse viz., 'until you know what
you say’ makes the divine meaning of the Arabic term sukara,
used here, clear. The Arabic term obviously, therefore, means a state of the mind
in which the person concerned does not fully understand the implications of
what his/her mouth utters. Such a state of mind could be brought about by all
sorts of intoxicants, or even by drowsiness. And any person could also be in
such a state when his/her mind wavers to thoughts other than that of Allah. And
the person's thoughts are bound to waver particularly when he/she does not
understand the meaning of the Arabic words uttered in prayers. Understanding
the meanings of what we say is therefore an absolute must for our prayers to be
heard, accepted, and answered.
31. Total abstinence from intoxicants was
ordained under Verse 5:90. Obviously, this Verse, 4:43, was revealed before
5:90. This is in keeping with the divine plan of eradicating a deep-rooted evil
habit in stages, and not abruptly. As a first step towards ordering total
abstinence, the believers were asked not to come for prayers in an intoxicated
state of mind. But, on that account, it would be wrong to say that Verse 4:43
stands abrogated by Verse 5:90. In fact, it would be wrong to say that any of
the existing Verses in the Qur'aan are abrogated. Please see Verse 2:106 and study notes 150 to 154
thereunder and Verse 2:109 and study notes 161 and 162
thereunder in this
context. Verse 4:43 is so construed by the All-knowing and Wise Author of the
Qur'aan that its application in this regard is not negated even after the
revelation of Verse 5:90. Moreover, as we have seen in the preceding note, the
Arabic term sukara, used in Verse 4:43, implies a wider
meaning than just being under the influence of drugs and alcoholic drinks.
Friday, the 26th
of June 2020.
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