the lessons to be drawn from His signs. It is therefore unlikely that Allah would present as a blessing to His servants something He has forbidden them and commanded them to avoid in several verses of His Book. Moreover, Sūrat al-Nahl is Meccan, whereas the prohibition of wine was revealed in Medina, in Sūrat al-Mā’idah.

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The Muslim community unanimously agrees that wine is forbidden in the Book of Allah Most High. They disagree, however, over whether its prohibition is established by explicit wording or by inference. The correct view is that it is explicitly prohibited therein, for something forbidden is something Allah has prohibited and threatened His servants for indulging in. Allah has prohibited wine in His Book, commanded that it be avoided, and threatened those who indulge in it. He says:

“Wine, gambling, sacrificial altars, and divining arrows are nothing but defilement from Satan’s handiwork, so avoid them, that you may prosper.” [al-Mā’idah: 90]

He also says:

“Satan only seeks to sow enmity and hatred among you through wine and gambling, and to turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then desist?” [al-Mā’idah: 91]

This is an emphatic warning. These two verses abrogate the verse in Sūrat al-Baqarah in which He says:

“They ask you about wine and gambling. Say: ‘In them is great sin and benefit for people.’” [al-Baqarah: 219]

They also abrogate the verse in Sūrat al-Nisā’ in which He says:

“O you who believe, do not approach prayer while intoxicated until you know what you are saying.” [al-Nisā’: 43]

This is because the verse in Sūrat al-Baqarah conveys censure, not prohibition, so they continued to drink wine because of its benefits. As for the verse in Sūrat al-Nisā’, it is said that it implies permissibility, because they were instructed in it to delay prayer until their intoxication had worn off, before wine was prohibited. Thus, when the prayer was about to begin, the caller of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would announce, “Let no intoxicated person approach prayer.” This was subsequently abrogated: wine was forbidden, and they were commanded to pray in all circumstances.

It is also said that the verse implies that becoming intoxicated at prayer time is forbidden, for this is what is understood from the prohibition against approaching prayer while intoxicated. After this verse was revealed, they used to drink wine at night, until the prohibition of wine was revealed in Sūrat al-Mā’idah.