Sura 4, an-Nisa, Medina 92 [2nd verse in chronological order regarding all intoxicants including alcohol]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ لاَ
تَقْرَبُواْ
الصَّلاَةَ
وَأَنتُمْ
سُكَارَى حَتَّىَ
تَعْلَمُواْ
مَا تَقُولُونَ...
4: 43. O ye who believe! approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,
... وَلاَ جُنُبًا إِلاَّ عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىَ تَغْتَسِلُواْ...
nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (except when traveling on the road), until after washing your whole body
... وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاء أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّن الْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاء...
- if ye are ill, or
- on a journey, or
- one of you cometh from offices of nature, or
- ye have been in contact with women,
... فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَاء فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ...
and ye find no water,
then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا ﴿٤٣﴾
For Allah doth blot out sins and forgive again and again.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ la_ takrabus sala_ta wa antum suka_ra_ hatta_ ta'lamu_ ma_ taqu_lu_na wa la_ junuban illa_'a_biri sabilin hatta_ tagtasilu_, wa in kuntum marda_ au 'ala_ safarin au ja_'a ahadum minkum minal ga_'iti au la_mastumun nisa_'a falam tajidu_ ma_'an fa tayammamu_ sa'idan tayyiban famsahu_ bi wuju_hikum wa aidikum, innalla_ha ka_na'afuwwan gafu_ra_(n).
4: 43
Asad O you who have attained to faith! Do not attempt to pray while you are in a state of drunkenness [note 54], [but wait] until you know what you are saying; not yet [while you are ] in a state requiring total ablution, until you have bathed – except if you are traveling [and are unable to do so].
Pickthall O ye who believe! Draw not near unto prayer when ye are drunken, till ye know that which ye utter, nor when ye are polluted, save when journeying upon the road, till ye have bathed. And if ye be ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have touched women, and ye find not water, than go to high clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith). Lo! Allah is Benign, Forgiving.
[[ Ali’s notes - 562 The reference is either to a state of intoxication or to a dazed state of mind on account of drowsiness or some other cause. Or perhaps both are implied. Before the prohibition of intoxicants altogether was promulgated, it was at least unbecoming that people should come to prayers in such a state. For prayers it is only right that we should collect our whole minds and approach Allah in a spirit of reverence. (4.43)
563 The strictest cleanliness and purity of mind and body are required, especially at the time of prayer. But there are circumstances when water for ablutions is not easily obtainable, especially in the dry conditions of Arabia, and then washing with dry sand or clean earth is recommended. Four such circumstances are mentioned: the two last when washing is specially required; the two first when washing may be necessary, but it may not be easy to get water. For a man, when he is ill, cannot walk out far to get water, and a man on a journey has no full control over his supplies. In all four cases, where water cannot be got, cleaning with dry sand or dry earth is recommended. This is called Tayammum. (4.43) ]]
[[ Asad’s note 54…………some of the commentators assume that this ordinance represented the first stage of the total prohibition of intoxicants, and has been, consequently, “abrogated” by the promulgation of the law of total abstinence from all intoxicants [5:90]. However quite apart from the fact that the doctrine of “abrogation” is entirely untenable (see surah 2, note 87), there is no warrant whatever for regarding the above verse as a “first step” which has become redundant, as it were, after total prohibition was ordained………signifies any state of mental disequilibrium which prevents man from making full use of his intellectual faculties……….]]
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