When will champions of Islam ban cigarette sales to Muslims

 

Of late, those who claim to be the champions of Islam have made a push to stamp out "sin" by banning gambling and placing further restrictions on the sale of alcohol.

All this in the name of protecting the community from social ills, including the non-Muslims who must be "guided" and "protected" for their own good.

Now, if they really do have everyone's interests at heart, these champions of Islam must move to ban another grave social ill that endangers the health of the individual and the community - smoking.

The National Fatwa Council has made it very clear that smoking cigarettes is haram and the same applies to vaping as well.

Yet, Muslims above the age of 18 are free to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco or nicotine-laced products with impunity, even in states with predominantly Muslim governments such as Kelantan and Kedah.

Some are even so bold to defy bans on smoking in certain areas such as in the Dewan Rakyat! Such behaviour is unbecoming of a good Muslim.

It is clear that nicotine addiction is a great harm.

The science is clear that smoking causes cancer and that second-hand smoke can be just as harmful.

Imagine all those poor children who have to live with a parent (or parents) who smoke, endangering their health while also inculcating bad habits in them as well.

It is a vicious habit that must be put to a stop.

Don't be fooled

Therefore, I call upon those who champion Islam to immediately make efforts to ban cigarettes, vapes, and other tobacco products for Muslims.

There will be some who claim that those already addicted to cigarettes, where quitting is claimed to be "harmful", it is harus (permitted) or merely makhruh (discouraged) for them to smoke.

Don't be fooled. As a former smoker, I can attest that quitting cigarettes is hard. You will go through withdrawal.

But once you get through the withdrawal, you will be fine. And you will be better for it.

Continuing smoking, however, will endanger self and others, which is clearly forbidden in Islam.

States like Kedah and Kelantan have no excuse not to adhere to fatwa declaring cigarettes haram, and banning cigarettes sales to Muslims.

If they are truly sincere in protecting Muslims and defending Islam, then they must do this.

Do not be hypocrites who only take actions on matters that are already banned for Muslims.

Don't be hypocrites and be solely focused on non-Muslims' "sins" just to score easy political points.

Hypocrisy is much despised in Islam, and any good Muslim government must strive to not be munafik who misuse religion for political gain.

---

ZIKRI KAMARULZAMAN is a member of the Malaysiakini Team and an ex-smoker who quit during the holy month of Ramadan in 2015. - Mkini