I Drank Alcohol By Mistake

[14ers]

Following question answers by Shaykh Hamid Waqar: 

A beverage was served where i asked for just lemon lime. I drank from it and noticed it tasted funny, the waiter mentioned that it was in fact lemon lime bitters. it was literally a sip and had no idea that the beverage contained alcohol (so they gave me the wrong drink). What is the ruling according to najasa and my prayer?

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Edited September 8, 2022 by Hameedeh
Mod Note

[Hassan5785]

If you intended on drinking alcohol then you are committing a sin.

[14ers]

If you intended on drinking alcohol then you are committing a sin.

The question is about the case when you do not intend to drink alcohol and drink it by mistake. 

[mostafaa]

(salam)

generally if a person does something by mistake, he wouldn't be punished, therefore he's required to repent.

but your mouth and lips must be washed because they are najis.

so when praying, firstly you have to wash the najis parts of your body and clothes, then pray.

[herenow477]

matter of fact is that you are specifically told by the Prophet "do not sit at a table where alcohol/wine is served" in other words don't even go there where they serve alcohol 

what reason do u have to be around such places? that's your first mistake, that you went to such a venue, your playing with fire, so don't complain when you get burnt 

[followers]

salamun alaykum

 

If you are sure that it was an intoxicating drink so that is najis even if you just took a small sip otherwise that won’t be najis.

You didn’t commit a sin due to your mistake.

[sadegh]

(salam)

generally if a person does something by mistake, he wouldn't be punished, therefore he's required to repent.

but your mouth and lips must be washed because they are najis.

so when praying, firstly you have to wash the najis parts of your body and clothes, then pray.

I think he doesn't need to repent either.

Why should he repent, while he hasn't done anything wrong?!

[mostafaa]

I think he doesn't need to repent either.

Why should he repent, while he hasn't done anything wrong?!

sorry, you're right. I'm mistaken.

[sadegh]

matter of fact is that you are specifically told by the Prophet "do not sit at a table where alcohol/wine is served" in other words don't even go there where they serve alcohol 

what reason do u have to be around such places? that's your first mistake, that you went to such a venue, your playing with fire, so don't complain when you get burnt 

(salam)

Dear friend,

I believe that the meaning of this kind of hadiths is that one should refrain from going to such places because they might be tempted to drink or their presence might be considered as a confirmation for drinking alcohol.

 

If one lives in an Islamic country, he/ she shouldn't do that at all and this hadith is utterly reasonable. But in a non- Islamic country where serving alcoholic beverages is something very usual and normal, it is difficult to say that going to such places for the purpose of drinking a halal beverage would be a mistake.

[*Sayyeda*]

matter of fact is that you are specifically told by the Prophet "do not sit at a table where alcohol/wine is served" in other words don't even go there where they serve alcohol 

what reason do u have to be around such places? that's your first mistake, that you went to such a venue, your playing with fire, so don't complain when you get burnt 

 

(salam)

 

As the ruling is being discussed, I'd just like to point out that it does not prohibit people from going to a restaurant which serves alcohol, rather from sitting at a table where alcohol is being served. 

 

Question: What is your opinion on Muslims eating in non-Muslim or even Muslim owned and operated restaurants which serve halal food however also serve alcoholic drinks? If the alcohol is not being consumed at our table, does this change the ruling?

Answer: If alcohol is not consumed at your table, there would be no objection and you can eat halal food in that restaurant. Yes, if going to such a restaurant is considered bad for the reputation of a Muslim, it is not permissible to eat in there.

 

http://www.sistani.org/english/qa/01123/

 

(wasalam)

[herenow477]

(salam)

 

As the ruling is being discussed, I'd just like to point out that it does not prohibit people from going to a restaurant which serves alcohol, rather from sitting at a table where alcohol is being served. 

 

Question: What is your opinion on Muslims eating in non-Muslim or even Muslim owned and operated restaurants which serve halal food however also serve alcoholic drinks? If the alcohol is not being consumed at our table, does this change the ruling?

Answer: If alcohol is not consumed at your table, there would be no objection and you can eat halal food in that restaurant. Yes, if going to such a restaurant is considered bad for the reputation of a Muslim, it is not permissible to eat in there.

 

http://www.sistani.org/english/qa/01123/

 

(wasalam)

Personally if i find myself at such places where people are drinking and etc, i wish to run away from it as far as possible, it is hardly civilized, there is other harams present, and it kills the spirituality in your soul

i cant understand why anyone needs to be around that, would the Imam(ajtf) or even a local sheikh go to such places? I hardly think so 

We muslims need to be away from such places, and i mean how can you even feel safe to drink from the same cups they serve alcohol in? how do you even know its clean? what if they just lightly washed it under hot water for a quick moment? You cant even be sure the cup which they serve you in is safe after they might have served somebody wine or beer or spirits 

It really is no reason to go such places there is plenty of alternatives even in Western countries where Islamic restaurants exists or coffee shops which dont have liquor licenses , i can understand that going to a restaurant that is BYO(bring your own) can be justified, but one where they have their own bar and serve drinks in the same glasses or cups, is just playing with fire 

[Sipahi110]

14

There is a famous Hadith of our Prophet SAAWS - Ur-Raf'i, which forms basis of many fatwas in fiqh.

The hadith ur-raf'i is from the Holy Prophet, who told us: "Nine things have been taken from my nation: what they do not know, what they have not tolerated, what they have been compelled to, what they have found themselves in need of, mistakes, forgetfulness, misfortune, envy (which they have not acted on) and whisperings of doubt in the thoughts of the creation."

http://ia700305.us.archive.org/31/items/mutahhari1/AllamaMurtazaMutahhari-JurisprudenceAndItsPrinciapels.pdf

Based on this, as a Muslim you will not be punished by what they do not know after doing their due diligence.

I believe, your case falls under that criteria. It is similar to a case where someone eats poison by mistake, he will die but no gunnah. Same is no gunnah on drinking alcohol by mistake even after due diligence in inquiry. But, ofcourse bad affect of drinking alcohol will be on body and soul.

[14ers]

But, ofcourse bad affect of drinking alcohol will be on body and soul.

Salaams, many of the items in your post were explained in the link. With this point, I don't agree. Of course the alcohol will have the negative physical effects, but since no sin was committed I don't believe it would have an effect on the soul.

[sadegh]

Personally if i find myself at such places where people are drinking and etc, i wish to run away from it as far as possible, it is hardly civilized, there is other harams present, and it kills the spirituality in your soul

i cant understand why anyone needs to be around that, would the Imam(ajtf) or even a local sheikh go to such places? I hardly think so 

We muslims need to be away from such places, and i mean how can you even feel safe to drink from the same cups they serve alcohol in? how do you even know its clean? what if they just lightly washed it under hot water for a quick moment? You cant even be sure the cup which they serve you in is safe after they might have served somebody wine or beer or spirits 

It really is no reason to go such places there is plenty of alternatives even in Western countries where Islamic restaurants exists or coffee shops which dont have liquor licenses , i can understand that going to a restaurant that is BYO(bring your own) can be justified, but one where they have their own bar and serve drinks in the same glasses or cups, is just playing with fire 

 

When we say that there's no problem with going to such places, we are talking about the jurisprudential aspect of the issue; but morally speaking, it is actually better for a Muslim to avoid such places that you mentioned; since there are hadiths discouraging Muslims to go about the Shubhah.

 

عن رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله: ... فَمَنْ تَرَكَ الشُّبُهَاتِ نَجَا مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمَاتِ، وَ مَنْ أَخَذَ بِالشُّبُهَاتِ ارْتَكَبَ الْمُحَرَّمَات‏ >> الکافی:1/ 170

It is narrated from Rasulullah that: whoever abandons the Shubuhaat, will be out of the Haraam (acts), and whoever goes through the Shubuhaat, will commit the Haraam (acts) >> Al- Kaafi: 1/170

Edited March 30, 2014 by sadegh

[Ibn-Ahmed Aliyy Herz]

Actions are judged according to intention, your prayer is still accepted, it is rejected for 40 days if you drink it purposefully.

[Sipahi110]

Salaams, many of the items in your post were explained in the link. With this point, I don't agree. Of course the alcohol will have the negative physical effects, but since no sin was committed I don't believe it would have an effect on the soul.

Salamunaleykum

Please read Dua e Kumayl.

We are told to ask for forgiveness for mistakes done unknowingly by our Imam.

This is because though, by Grace of Allah SWT, our mistakes committed after our due diligence are not considered sin, but they have affect on our soul in this life in that they may hinder in acceptance of our duas.

[Hassan5785]

If it was by accident then you should be forgiven.

[mesbah]

If you are sure that it was an intoxicating drink so that is najis even if you just took a small sip otherwise that won’t be najis.

 

wait a second ...

Nijasa and Tahara are Wad'i rulings not Taklifi; that is, they don't require knowledge and intention to be applied.

 

when something is Najis, it is Najis whether you know it or not, intend it or not.

 

but I know what you mean, you want him to apply Asalat al-Tahara if he is in doubt about the nature of the drink, but that is completely different and he is sure that it was an alcoholic drink and he now asks about the accidental situation he had.

I think this answer of yours confuses  the reader.

If it was by accident then you should be forgiven.

 

forgiveness is for sins

sin: intentional disobedience to God

there's no accidental sin. sin, by definition, postulates deliberateness  

Edited October 18, 2014 by mesbah

[rafidhi1986]

Shouldn't even be at the bar man..