Islam and alcohol

[lunakilo]

As far as I remember, muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol.

I live in Denmark.
When I was a the university, there where many forign students who where muslim.
I remember people who said they where muslim and observed other muslims customs like fasting at ramadan, but would still have a beer with the rest of us in the friday bar ( though not during ramadan ).

So I am just wondering if there is a cultural element involved here as well.
Are there places/cultures in the muslim world where drinking alcohol is not seen as a very bad things and others where it is considered very bad?

 

[islam means peace]

As far as I remember, muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol.

I live in Denmark.
When I was a the university, there where many forign students who where muslim.
I remember people who said they where muslim and observed other muslims customs like fasting at ramadan, but would still have a beer with the rest of us in the friday bar ( though not during ramadan ).

So I am just wondering if there is a cultural element involved here as well.
Are there places/cultures in the muslim world where drinking alcohol is not seen as a very bad things and others where it is considered very bad?

I think in every islamic society, Alcohol as overall considered as bad and will not be tolerated but yes i agree that there are few muslims who drink it too. But even if you go to their family background you will find that almost none or of their other family members envloved in it.

I think it might be due to the friends gathering you move and live outside? rather then any culture?

 

[Starsoul]

When you see muslims drinking, thats when they're trying to blend in with your/other cultures.
There is absolutely no question or doubt about the prohibition of alcohol in Islam. Those who consume it, are muslims by birth or names but have little to do with practise of religion. And the practise of this religion goes far beyond the rituals in it. Hope that answers your question.

 

[Peace]

A practicing Muslim who obeys Allah and His Messenger doesn't drink alcohol.

 

[UmmSqueakster]

I've spoken to some Bosnian muslims who have honestly not believed that it wasn't wrong to drink alcohol.

However, most muslims who drink do so with the understanding that it is haram (forbidden). The rationale is either that they don't care, or that they think that since they're young, they'll repent for it when they get older and become more serious about religion.

Of course, none of the above is considered a proper islamic position.

 

[lunakilo]

Thank you for your replies.

I guess it is really more a cultural question relating to islam than a religious one anyway, but I didn't know where else to put it.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Does the same apply to drugs and prostitution.
In some cities in the UK Muslim youths are heavily into competing in these trades. Especially amongst student bodies.

 

[Union]

Does the same apply to drugs and prostitution.
In some cities in the UK Muslim youths are heavily into competing in these trades. Especially amongst student bodies.

Yes ...

 

[A Thousand Suns]

Yup Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, as the Quran says, there may be some benefit but the harm outweighs the benefit. Study shows that no amount of alchol is safe, the idea that drinking small amounts of alcohol will do you no harm is a myth, claims Professor David Nutt. The myth that many health professionals appear to believe in and that the alcohol industry uses to defend its strategy of making the drug readily available at low prices. However, the claim is wrong and the supporting evidence flawed.

There is no such thing as a safe level of alcohol consumption | Professor David Nutt | Science | guardian.co.uk

Study done by France's National Cancer Institute (INCA) reports shows that drinking just one glass of wine a day can INCREASE risk of cancer by 168%,

Drinking just one glass of wine a day can INCREASE risk of cancer by 168%, say the French! | Mail Online

 

[lunakilo]

Yup Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, as the Quran says, there may be some benefit but the harm outweighs the benefit. Study shows that no amount of alchol is safe, the idea that drinking small amounts of alcohol will do you no harm is a myth, claims Professor David Nutt. The myth that many health professionals appear to believe in and that the alcohol industry uses to defend its strategy of making the drug readily available at low prices. However, the claim is wrong and the supporting evidence flawed.

There is no such thing as a safe level of alcohol consumption | Professor David Nutt | Science | guardian.co.uk

Study done by France's National Cancer Institute (INCA) reports shows that drinking just one glass of wine a day can INCREASE risk of cancer by 168%,

Drinking just one glass of wine a day can INCREASE risk of cancer by 168%, say the French! | Mail Online

The question in the OP is not about whether or not alcohol is unhealthy.
Smoking, eating fatty, salty food and too much sugar is unhealthy to, but not forbidden (as far as I know) acording to islam.

The question was about why some muslims drink alcohol.

I am wondering if there is such a thing as 'culturally muslim', that is when a person grows up in a muslim country and is influenced by islam in the way he lives his life, but without following all the rules.
That person would probably still consider himself muslim even if he drinks a beer.

 

[Badran]

The question in the OP is not about whether or not alcohol is unhealthy.
Smoking, eating fatty, salty food and too much sugar is unhealthy to, but not forbidden (as far as I know) acording to islam.

The question was about why some muslims drink alcohol.

I am wondering if there is such a thing as 'culturally muslim', that is when a person grows up in a muslim country and is influenced by islam in the way he lives his life, but without following all the rules.
That person would probably still consider himself muslim even if he drinks a beer.

Of course there are people like that, who are mainly Muslims just for cultural reasons. And even the ones who are not like that, still they don't necessarily follow all the rules. They could know its wrong according to their religion, wish to stop, but can't for example.