is smoking haram? Question & Answer

is smoking haram?? It often starts with a quiet moment after dinner, when someone steps outside, pats their pocket, and remembers what month it is. In the UK or USA, that moment can feel even sharper—short breaks at work, long daylight hours, and the habit that usually “takes the edge off” suddenly has to wait.

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The straight answer most people need

During the fasting hours of Ramadan, smoking breaks the fast. In simple terms, the fast means no food, no drink, and nothing intentionally inhaled into the body that counts as “consumption.” Many references describing Ramadan fasting include smoking among the things avoided between dawn and sunset.

For a general overview of Ramadan and fasting times, you can read Britannica’s Ramadan guide and Wikipedia’s page on fasting during Ramadan.

The “startup problem” behind the question

Think of Ramadan like a startup with a clear mission: rebuild your self-control in 30 days. Every startup has a “no distractions” policy during launch. For Muslims, daylight fasting hours are that protected launch window. Smoking isn’t just a habit here—it becomes a test of patience, intention, and self-mastery.

What makes smoking different from “just a bad habit”

Smoking isn’t only a spiritual issue. It’s also physical harm. Islam’s ethics don’t separate the heart from the body. Ramadan pushes you to clean up both—your inner life and your daily routines, one decision at a time.

is smoking haram?

Smoking is considered haram (forbidden) by the majority of contemporary Islamic scholars.

Here’s why:

1. It harms the body

Allah says:

“And do not throw yourselves into destruction with your own hands.” (Qur’an 2:195)

Medical science clearly proves smoking causes cancer, heart disease, lung damage, and many other serious illnesses. Intentionally harming your body goes against Islamic teachings.

2. It wastes money

Allah says:

“Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils.” (Qur’an 17:27)

Spending money on something harmful and addictive is considered waste (israaf).

3. It harms others

Second-hand smoke harms family members and people nearby. In Islam, harming others is strictly prohibited. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”

Also Read: Can We Miss The Fast? | Fidya And Kaffarah

Quran verses that shape the ruling (with translation)

The Qur’an sets the boundaries of fasting clearly, and it also lays down a principle of avoiding self-harm.

1) Fasting boundary: no intake until night

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:187) — English translation (meaning): “Eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct… then complete the fast until the night.”
Read it here: Qur’an 2:187 on Quran.com

2) Don’t harm yourself

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:195) — English translation (meaning): “Do not throw yourselves into destruction with your own hands.”
See it here: Qur’an 2:195 on Quran.com

These two ideas sit side by side: fasting has firm rules, and Islam also takes health seriously.

Hadith references that help (with translation)

Hadith adds the “why” and the tone—firm about rules but still focused on mercy and growth.

1) Fasting means leaving desires

Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1894 — English translation (meaning): Allah says the fasting person leaves food, drink, and desires for His sake.
Read it here: Bukhari 1894 on Sunnah.com

2) No harm principle

Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 2340 — English translation (meaning): “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
Read it here: Ibn Majah 2340 on Sunnah.com

Together, these narrations explain why Ramadan is often the month people finally try to quit.

can you smoke cigarettes during ramadan

If you mean while fasting (between dawn and sunset), the answer is no—smoking breaks the fast. In Hanafi fiqh, inhaling smoke intentionally is treated as something entering the body in a meaningful way, so it invalidates the fast.

A Hanafi-focused explanation is discussed here: Hanafi ruling on smoking and fasting (IslamQA.org).

What happens if someone smokes while fasting?

In many mainstream discussions, the person must:

Repent sincerely
Make up the day (qada)
In some cases, scholars also mention expiation (kaffarah) if it was a deliberate break of a Ramadan fast

Because details can vary by situation, it’s smart to ask a trusted local scholar for your exact case.

can you smoke after sunset during Ramadan?

After sunset, the fast ends. So technically, eating and drinking are allowed again—and the fasting restriction is lifted. That means the question becomes less about “is my fast valid?” and more about “is this good for me and pleasing to Allah?”

Many Muslims use Ramadan as a clean break, because returning to cigarettes right after iftar can:

Trigger cravings all night
Disrupt sleep and suhoor
Make the next day’s fast feel harder
Keep the cycle locked in place

can you smoke during ramadan after iftar

Here’s the honest, practical way many imams explain it: after iftar, you’re not fasting anymore, but smoking is still widely treated as harmful and sinful due to clear health damage. So it’s not a “free pass,” even though it’s outside fasting hours.

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is smoking haram? Question & Answer, Beliefs, Holy Month, Pillar of Islam, Prayer, Ramadan

A quick table to make it crystal clear

Time	Smoking impact on fasting	What to know
Daytime (Fajr → Maghrib)	Breaks the fast	Intentionally inhaling smoke invalidates the fast
After Maghrib (post-iftar)	Does not break the day’s fast	Still a harmful habit; many scholars discourage/forbid it
Accidental passive exposure	Case-by-case	Unavoidable smoke differs from intentional inhaling

A Ramadan quit-plan that actually feels doable

Instead of treating quitting like a dramatic “all-or-nothing” vow, treat it like a calm, repeatable plan. Think: small wins, daily.

Step-by-step (simple and realistic)

Move your trigger: after iftar, take a short walk instead of stepping outside to smoke
Replace the hand habit: miswak, gum (after iftar), or tea
Shrink access: don’t carry cigarettes; keep them out of your immediate reach
Use the community: pray Maghrib or ‘Isha in congregation if you can
Track cravings: note the time and what you were feeling—bored, stressed, hungry, social pressure

This approach works especially well for UK/USA Muslims balancing work schedules and social settings.

Hanafi scholars’ PDF-friendly books (new titles for this focus keyword)

If you want deeper Hanafi fiqh study, students often consult classical works that are commonly available as PDFs through reputable libraries and scholarly archives (titles vary by edition/translation):

Sharh Wiqayah — Ubayd Allah ibn Mas‘ud al-Mahbubi (and later commentaries)
Al-Fatawa al-Tatarkhaniyya — a major Hanafi fatwa compilation
Imdad al-Fattah Sharh Nur al-Idah—Shurunbulali’s text with commentary
Fatāwā Maḥmūdiyya — Mufti Mahmud Hasan Gangohi (fatwa collection, widely circulated)
Al-Bahr al-Ra’iq — Ibn Nujaym (detailed Hanafi legal discussions)

A helpful Islamic learning mention

If you’re building better Ramadan habits and want structured Qur’an learning support, many families mention www.quranmualim.com as an online option. Pair online learning with local guidance for personal rulings, especially if you’re struggling with addiction or health concerns.

Also Read: Can You Brush Your Teeth While Fasting in Islam?

Conclusion

Can you smoke during Ramadan? Not during fasting hours, because smoking breaks the fast. After sunset, the fast is over, but Ramadan is bigger than the technical minimum. It’s a month that asks you to lead yourself—calmly, firmly, and with hope. If you’ve been waiting for a turning point, this is it.

FAQs

1) Does smoking break the fast in Ramadan?
Yes, if you smoke during fasting hours, it breaks the fast. Many scholars explain it as intentional intake through inhalation.

2) What if I smoked by mistake while fasting?
If it was truly accidental and not intentional inhaling, ask a scholar for your case. Most smoking is deliberate, so it’s usually treated as breaking the fast.

3) Can I smoke after iftar?
The fast has ended after sunset, so it doesn’t break the day’s fast. But smoking remains harmful and is widely discouraged or considered impermissible.

4) What about vaping or shisha?
Most scholars treat them similarly because you are intentionally inhaling substances into the body.

5) How can I handle cravings during long UK/USA fasts?
Stay busy near your trigger times, keep hydration strong at night, reduce caffeine, and lean into prayer and community. Ramadan is a powerful reset if you take it one day at a time.

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