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Is smoking Cigarette permissible in Shia Fiqh? I just wanted to make sure is it haram to smoke, when an individual smokes carefully, within limits where he/she can be out of danger? I've heard that smoking is dangeous because it slowly damages your lungs,but when it's kept to a limit, it can't effect ones life.

This question does not have a Brief Answer. Detailed Answer: Islam prevented humans of eating or drinking or using every thing that is harmful for health and the more harmful the prevention of its cause would be more serious until it reached the level of prohibition. Imam Khomeini (may Allah’s mercy be sent on him) said:" Eating what is harmful for man is forbidden. It is clear that the criterion for being forbidden, is to be harmful, whether by eating or other ways, there is not difference. Cigarettes are one of those things that’s use is harmful for man’s health, but is this damage so much that using it would be forbidden or not? It depends on people and different conditions. Ayatollah Kamene’i answered a question about this and said: “The rule with various levels of harms that followed by using tobacco, are different. And in general, if the using of tobacco was that much which caused a remarkable harm for the body it isn't allowed. And if person knows that by starting smoking it will reach that level, isn't allowed.” Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said about it: “The rule of eating or drinking something that has serious harm, is forbidden. If using cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are considered seriously harmful by those who have the knowledge than it is forbidden. Using drugs is completely forbidden; ether by injection or smoking or eating or any other way. Also the making of, traffic, and every form of assistance in its distribution is forbidden.” Other maraje taqlid have the same view about it – that if it has serious harm it is forbidden. AyatollahSafi said: “Eating something that is harmful for ones mind and health is forbidden, but if the harm is temporary in such that wise people don’t heed, isn’t forbidden.” At this point, based on the repeated request of the scholars, we will briefly refer to the methodical proofs for this matter: 1. verse 2:195 of the Holy Qur’an states: وَأَنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ۛوَأَحْسِنُوا ۛ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ “Do not place yourself in ruin with your own hands.” And based on the statistics announced by doctors who specialize in this field, cigarette-related deaths reach up to five million people a year. And the statistics about the dangerous heart ailments, lung diseases, and cancers which are caused by cigarette smoke are also very high. Therefore, smoking cigarettes is a way of placing oneself in ruin. 2. We have the rule of “no harm and causing no harm” (laa dharar wa laa dhiraar), which is derived from numerous traditions. Even though it is in relation to causing harms to others, we know that that the usage of a general intent does not limit the rule. Therefore, it also includes harm to oneself. 3. In a well-known tradition of Fiqh Al-Ridha, it is stated: “Every affair that there is destruction in from prohibited matters …is an unlawful matter which is harmful for the body and a corruption for the soul.” There is also a similar tradition to this in Tuhaf Al-Uqool. Based on these traditions, anything that poses a serious risk of harm to a person’s body is unlawful. Certainly, trivial and minor harms that exist in all things are unavoidable and are not the intent of these traditions. What are intended are major harms. 4.Some people have the habit of eating dirt, which has been phrased as a form of evil whisperings in Islamic traditions. And it has been sternly forbidden, because it harms people. A tradition says, “Eating dirt brings about illness in the body and stimulates pain.” Therefore, the first reason that the late Shaheed has mentioned for its unlawfulness in his book Al-Masaalik is bodily harm. All of this shows that prohibition of harmful things are clear; even an obligatory fast that is harmful must be abandoned, and obligatory baths (Ghusl) and ablutions (Wudhu) turn to Tayammum if they are harmful. 5.Beyond all of this, and based on the clear principle of “whatever that sound intellect rules, Islamic law rules”, there is no room for doubt about the prohibition of cigarettes and other forms of smoking in our day and age, where its significant harms have become clear to all scientists. The edicts of all the religious authorities forbidding narcotics are derived from what was stated here. Sources: http://www.islamquest.net/en/archive/question/fa1079 http://www.islamicinsights.com/religion/clergy-corner/prohibition-of-smoking-in-islam.html