Tobacco fatwa

A fatwa ( Islamic legal opinion ) that takes by Muslim position on the use of tobacco is known colloquially as tobacco fatwa.

Genesis

Tobacco smoking is a topic for scholars of Islamic law, since this custom has spread in Islamic countries. Legal scholars of the Ottoman Empire, and especially Ibrahim Efendi, led wide-ranging public debate about whether smoking is allowed or not. The Ottoman Sultan Murad IV prohibited smoking in the 17th century. He tried thus to enforce its ban, that he had chosen public coffee houses in Istanbul. During the campaigns of Sultan smoking was forbidden on pain of death. Katib Tschelebi noted that none of the measures could have contained the spread of smoking significantly. After Muhammad al- Jibalys recent publications, it is the European countries have succeeded in reducing by pointing to the harmful health effects smoking while tobacco use in Islamic countries has reached new highs.

Two fatwas that prohibit smoking, have become especially well known:

• The fatwa of Ayatollah and Marja -e taqlid Mohammad Hasan Shirazi from 1891, which was adopted during the tobacco movement in Iran. This led to the revocation of a tobacco concession, Naser al -Din Shah had granted the British Major GF Talbot. The tobacco consumption was greatly diminished after the adoption of the fatwa that the concession had become virtually worthless.
• The fatwa of Sheikh Nasr Farid Wassel, the Grand Mufti of Egypt in 2000, at the beginning of the national anti -smoking campaign.

The fatwa of Shirazi was less directed itself against smoking. They forbade the Shiites smoking as a means to an end, to exert economic pressure on the concession granted in Iran. This fatwa was the first in the modern Islamic legal history of Shiism, which took place for economic reasons, and should have far-reaching political consequences. Tobacconist and clerics organized a protest movement (tobacco movement ), which forced the withdrawal of the concession. In January 1892, Naser al -Din Shah declared the concession void. A few days later Shirazi lifted the previously enacted prohibition with another fatwa on again. The Muslims could smoke again.

Historically documented are two open letters to Naser al -Din Shirazi Shah in July and September 1891, in which he explains his rejection of the tobacco concession. In December 1891 appeared in Tehran issued a fatwa " against the use of tobacco ", which was signed by Shirazi. A similar version of this fatwa was in Isfahan in circulation since November 1891. Whether Shirazi has actually issued the fatwa, can no longer occupy. The clergy weighted historians have attributed the success of the tobacco movement the leadership of the clergy involved and the effect of the fatwa. The fact that the tobacco dealers were the ones who called the protest movement into life and had a major role in their success, got it into oblivion.

As part of its program to reduce tobacco use in the Islamic countries, gives the Regional Office of the World Health Organization EMRO in Cairo since 2009, Mirza Shirazi Award to personalities who have made ​​a special contribution to this topic.

Findings of the Court

The Koran prohibits smoking explicitly. Most cited:

• " ... And do not crash into ruin! ... " ( The Cow, 2/ 195).
• "... And eat and drink! And do ( it) not wasteful! God does not love those who are not with restraint. " ( The heights, 7 /31).

The health effects of smoking are appreciated quite differently from one Islamic jurists. Some say that smoking is definitely allowed. The recent trends go but then to reject smoking as potentially harmful and should be prohibited. This Arab Muslims reject smoking more, while Asian Muslims, although as legally permitted but not desirable look.

The behavioral efficacy of fatwas directed against smoking, has been investigated in several empirical studies. The results are not unique. A recent study from Pakistan showed that Muslims smoking now rather avoid. A study was conducted among American Muslims, also showed that less would be smoked. Contrary to this, a study from Egypt, which denies the relationship between the knowledge of a fatwa, which is directed against smoking, and smoking. There was no decrease in smoking be detected.