Is Marijuana Haram?

When I was young I was told that alcohol was haram, the reason being that it intoxicates a person. Making him unaware of the external world, making him loose control of himself and impairing his judgement etc. I have friends who, like many youngsters are into drugs. Recently after having found one of my most dear friends to be involved in it, really saddened me. Though he was not into some hardcore drugs, he was into marijuana or 'weed' as it’s commonly known. I tried to stop him but he in turn told me things like...the scientific proof of it not being an addictive substance and also of it not being haram. He said it is nowhere written that its haram. But my explanation was that it was something that makes a person unaware of what is going on and the persons brain is slowed down etc... but since I myself didn’t know much about the matter I could do nothing. Brother I want to know if marijuana or another drugs are haram in Islam, so that I could provide my friend with a suitable answer.

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium, etc are all unlawful (haram) due to the various harms connected with them.

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug made from the leaves of the cannabis plant. It is usually smoked but can also be eaten. It is the most commonly used and considered to be a soft drug.

Marijuana intoxicates a person the same way alcohol does. It weakens one’s senses and the capability to reflect. Scientific research has proven that, marijuana has much harm, and could lead one in becoming an addict to other hard drugs.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Every intoxicant is prohibited.” Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4088)

And he (Allah bless him & give him peace) also said:

“That which intoxicates in large quantities is prohibited in small quantities.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and others, with a sound chain of narrators)

So here there is no need to doubt the illicit nature of such modern narcotics like cocaine, heroine, etc. or such soft drugs that are available in the club scenes, places, unfortunately, visited frequently by Muslim youth in the West.

Therefore, explain to you friend that, all drugs are Haram due to the fact that they intoxicate a person in one way or another. One looses the ability to think and reflect in a proper manner, and that is intoxication. If you have a local scholar, seek his advice and take your friend to him.

And Allah knows best

Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
Darul Iftaa, Leicester, UK