About
20% of adults worldwide are addicted to tobacco, and millions more suffer from
drug addiction. These habits destroy health, wealth, and spirituality. Islam
offers powerful guidance to overcome them.
According
to the World Health Organization, 1 in 5 adults worldwide (about 20%) are still
addicted to tobacco, despite global efforts to reduce smoking. The United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that millions are addicted to natural
and synthetic drugs, with rising trends in synthetic opioids and stimulants.
These
substances are not just harmful – they are deadly. Tobacco alone causes over 8
million deaths annually. Drugs lead to overdose, mental illness, broken families,
and crime. Alcohol contributes to liver disease, violence, and loss of dignity.
These are not just health issues; they are spiritual crises. Allah says in the
Qur’an:
“Do
not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.”
(An-Nisa 4: 30)
“They ask you about wine and gambling [which is also very harmful – an addiction]. Say, ‘In them is great sin and [some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.’” (Al-Baqara 2: 220)
The
Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) warned his Ummah and whole mankind about Khamr:
“Every
intoxicant is Khamr, and every Khamr is Haram (forbidden).”
(Muslim)
“The
strong is not the one who overcomes others by force, but the one who controls
himself when angry.” (Bukhari)
Addiction
is a form of Khamr – it clouds the mind, weakens the will, and distances
people from Allah. It is a trap of the Satan, who whispers false comfort
through smoke, pills, and bottles.
There
are three main stages which I want to guide you through so that those who are
prisoners of those evils may finally be free from their tangles. To break those
addictions, especially smoking is not easy at all. It demands the right frame
of mind, the right intention and faith. Bear in mind that faith can make a
person go from poverty to wealth. It has the ability to accede to your inner
consciousness, to make you, as a person, take the right course of action.
The Three Stages
1. Preparing to Stop
Make the intention/ decision: You must want to stop. Write down your
reasons, whether it is because of health, family, or even faith. Understand
your habits. Remember that smoking is tied to routines. Therefore, change them.
For example, drink juice instead of tea, and walk instead of sitting idle. In a
nutshell, keep yourself busy. You should plan your quit day. Choose a date
which is meaningful to you, whether it is a Friday (Jumu’ah), or any of the two
Eid days or even your birthday, if you want. Mark the date as a most memorable
moment in your entire existence; such a day that when you look back in time,
will bring about sweet memories and a sense of accomplishment. And never fear
to ask help from others to get out of this difficult situation. Tell your
family and sincere friends (not those who pushed you into this hell). Ask for
their encouragement. And what is also important is that you should remove all
the things which trigger the addiction, such as cigarettes, lighters and
ashtrays. Make your living space clean of all these filth, and put your trust
in Allah, having the correct form of Taqwa (God-fearingness and piety) never
leaving your Salat (prayers) and Duahs (Supplications).
Allah
says: “And take provision, but indeed, the best
provision is Taqwa.” (Al-Baqara 2: 198)
2. Stopping
From
Day One and onwards, review your plan. Avoid excuses like stress or weight
gain. And reward yourself - for example, save the money you would spend on
cigarettes and buy something Halal (licit) and joyful. Seek the pleasure of
Allah upon you.
Helpful
tips which can help those with the right intention to combat and be triumphant
upon their respective addictions: Chew sugar-free gum, eat fruits and
vegetables, avoid alcohol and places of temptation, and practice relaxation and
Zikrullah (the remembrance of Allah).
“Indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Ar-Ra’d 13: 29)
3. Staying Stopped
Stay
positive. Remember that temptation will come. Satan and his army will try to
make you fall in all kinds of depressions or sadness which can prompt you to
betray your own Niyyah (intention) to stop. Resist it with prayer and
purpose. Don’t relapse. Bear in mind that one cigarette leads to many. Be firm
and consistent, and celebrate milestones – for example, after one month, reward
yourself by pampering yourself in a God-approved way.
Reflect
on the benefits which have occurred in your life after quitting: Better taste
and smell, no tobacco odour or falling into intoxicated states in case of drug
addictions, lower risk of heart attack and cancer and improved health and
energy.
Remember
that: “Allah does not change the condition of a
people until they change what is in themselves.” (Ar-Ra’d 13: 12)
All
those suffering from some kind of addiction should remember that there is scope
for hope and change. If someone really wants to break free from the traps of
addiction and reform, Allah will surely guide him to safety. Faith and trust in
Allah and consistency in prayers are needed. Once the addicted person shifts
his focus from his addiction to intoxicants to that of gaining the pleasure of
Allah upon them (i.e. him or her), they will be able to cross the mighty
mountain of sacrifice to clear their body, mind and soul from the influence of
those addictions.
Bear
in mind that in today’s world, addiction is no longer confined to substances
like tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. It has also evolved into subtler forms –
comfort, distraction, entertainment, and pleasure. These are not inherently
evil, but when they dominate people’s lives, they become chains that bind their
hearts and minds.
Nowadays,
millions scroll endlessly through social media, binge-watch shows, chase likes
and followers, indulge in food, and escape into video games – all in search of
a fleeting sense of satisfaction. But what happens when these habits begin to
control them? What happens when those scrolling become so addictive that one
feels anxious without them? When this happens, what happens to the everyday
duties, relationships, and even prayers – such responsibilities which are real
and not virtual?
This
is where the Qur’anic warning pierces through: “Have
you seen the one who takes his desires as his god?” (Al-Jathiyah 45:
24)
This
verse is not just about idol worship; it’s about enslavement to desire. When people’s
cravings dictate their choices, they are no longer free. They become servants
to their impulses, and that is the essence of addiction.
Islam
is a religion of Wasatiyyah, i.e., balance and moderation. It does not
demand that we abandon all worldly pleasures, but it teaches us to keep our
spiritual bearings intact, never allowing worldly desires to take control. In
other words, it urges us to maintain balance, so that our connection with Allah
remains stronger than our cravings.
Our
Beloved Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “Your body has a right
over you, your eyes have a right over you, and your wife has a right over you.”
(Bukhari)
This
Hadith teaches us that even rest, food, and companionship are part of a
balanced life; but they must be kept in check. When any one aspect dominates,
it leads to imbalance, and imbalance leads to harm.
So,
how to break free? Not just from smoking or drugs, but from the deeper addiction
to distraction and comfort? You should replace it with purpose. Fill the void
with something greater, something eternal.
1.
Replace cigarettes with prayers (Salat): Every puff you resist is a step
toward purity. Let the rhythm of prayer calm your nerves and cleanse your soul.
2.
Replace alcohol with the Holy Qur’an, with its recitation: Instead of numbing your pain, let the words
of Allah heal your heart. The Holy Qur’an is a light in darkness, and a guide
in confusion.
3.
Replace drugs with service to others: Help someone in need, visit the sick,
feed the poor. The joy of giving is more powerful than any high.
4.
Replace internet obsession with real connection: Speak to your parents, play
with your children, sit with your spouse. And above all, connect with Allah
through Salat, Duahs, Zikr, and reflection.
Allah
says in the Holy Qur’an: “Indeed, those who
believe and do righteous deeds – their Lord will guide them because of their
faith.” (Surah Yunus 10: 10)
Always
remember that heart is like a garden. If you plant good seeds, like prayer,
charity, gratitude; it will surely bloom. But if you neglect it, weeds of
addiction and heedlessness will take over.
Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh) said: “There is a piece of flesh in the body – if it is
sound, the whole body is sound; and if it is corrupt, the whole body is
corrupt. That piece is the heart.” (Bukhari)
Therefore,
guard your heart. Don’t let it be ruled by dopamine hits and digital illusions.
Let it be ruled by Taqwa – Awe-Inspiring Consciousness of Allah.
May
Allah enable the reform of those who desire to reform themselves to acquire His
pleasure. May Allah render their path easy, facilitate their reform and embrace
them with His mercy. May Allah have mercy on us all who in some subtle ways may
be addicted to the comforts and pleasures of this world – May Allah enable us
all to overcome those addictions and win the battle against our inner Satans
and the exterior ones as well. May Allah keep the Ummah of His Beloved Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) hale and health, physically, morally and spiritually, and
enable us all to accede to His high pleasure, for it is only this High (Nasha)
that we should all aspire, nothing else. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
----Friday Sermon of 31 October 2025~ 09 Jamadi'ul Awwal 1447 AH, delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius.