Why did Islam prohibit intoxicants (like wine)?

Intoxicants were forbidden in Islam due to the profound harm they inflict upon the mind, the soul, and society at large—despite any fleeting pleasure or perceived benefit they might offer. This prohibition is a form of devotional legislation, harmonizing spiritual command with a comprehensive, pragmatic perspective grounded in rational, medical, and social reasoning.

First and foremost, because intoxicants impair the intellect.

The mind is the most precious gift bestowed upon a human being—through it, one comes to know their Lord, discerns between good and evil, and makes sound judgments.

Alcohol, however, partially or completely disables this faculty, casting the individual into a state of heedlessness and recklessness, often resulting in:

• The commission of crimes and acts of aggression.
• Exposure of one’s private matters and disgrace.
• Loss of self-control.
• Deep remorse upon regaining sobriety.

Allah the Exalted says:

“O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allāh], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.”

(Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:90)

Secondly: Because it inflicts grave harm upon the body.

Modern medicine has irrefutably established that alcohol:

• Destroys the liver, leading to cirrhosis and cancer.
• Damages the heart and elevates blood pressure.
• Weakens the immune system and disrupts hormonal balance.
• Causes various forms of cancer, including those of the mouth, esophagus, and breast.
• Leads to addiction, rendering the person enslaved to its grip.

The World Health Organization has classified alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen—on par with arsenic and asbestos.

Thirdly: Because it undermines the very foundation of society.

• Addiction and alcohol-induced violence tear families apart.
• A significant proportion of road accidents are caused by driving under the influence.
• Poverty and unemployment are exacerbated by alcohol consumption.
• Rates of crime and sexual assault rise dramatically among those who consume alcohol.
• In many countries, over 40% of crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol.

Fourthly: Because Its Harm Far Outweighs Its Benefit

Allah the Almighty says: "They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." (Al-Baqarah: 219)

Though it may provide fleeting advantages—such as temporary euphoria or commercial profit—they pale in comparison to its immense moral, spiritual, and societal damage.

Fifthly: Because It Is a Gateway to Addiction and Major Sins

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Alcohol is the mother of all evils. Whoever drinks it may commit incest with his mother, his aunt, or his maternal aunt.” (Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī and others with a sound chain)

Indeed, alcohol opens the door to grave sins unimaginable to a conscious mind—such as adultery, murder, theft, and even disbelief. Reality has borne witness to this time and again.

Islam forbids alcohol because it is a faith of mercy, reason, and life. It prohibits nothing except what is harmful, and it enjoins only what brings benefit.

Alcohol clouds the mind, ravages the body, destroys families, fuels crime, leads to addiction, and strips away human dignity.

It is neither freedom nor pleasure as falsely promoted, but rather a gateway to personal and collective ruin.