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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books All Solutions are with the Prophet’s Progeny Smoking in the places of prayer How often is it that the Sunni criticize the Shia for smoking in the mosques and say that it is an abominable doing from the deeds of the Satan? We can say that smoking is a common phenomenon among the Shia.

When you come into their mosques for the first time, you are shocked by that.[^1] I remember that when I traveled to Holy Najaf for the first time, I was shocked by this phenomenon. I found it odd and so I asked some of their (the Shia) ulema about it. They gave answers which have not convinced me until now.

Some of them say that smoking is neither impermissible nor disapproved because there is no (legal) text concerning it either from the Prophet (S) or from the infallible Imams (a.s..) and that analogy is not permissible to them. Some others say that they do not smoke in the mosques, but only in Husayniyyas [^2] which are not from mosques.

As for the first answer, a Muslim cannot accept that everything about which no religious text have been mentioned, is permissible, because the texts are either general including all prohibited vices like this saying of Allah: Say: My Lord has only prohibited indecencies, those of them that are apparent as well as those that are concealed. Qur'an, 7:33 Or special, in which something is mentioned by name, like these sayings of Allah: …And go not nigh to adultery.

Qur'an, 17:32 ..And do not kill any one whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause. Qur'an, 17:33 O you who believe! do not devour usury . Qur'an, 3:130 Or, the sayings of the Prophet (S): He, who cheats us, is not from us. Whoever fabricates lies against me (as if I have said), let him take his seat in the Fire. Cigarettes were not available at the time of the Prophet (S) and the times of the infallible Imams (a.s.).

Therefore, it is not possible to have a religious text about smoking from Allah, His messenger or the infallible Imams. It is the same as with regard to many impermissible things available nowadays that are included by the general texts, such as lottery, horseracing and modern games that cause many profits with no effort. Smoking can be included by this saying of Allah the Almighty: … and do not squander wastefully.

Surely, the squanderers are the fellows of the devils and the devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord .