QUESTION:
What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: what is the ruling on smoking shisha?
Questioner: A brother from UK
ANSWER:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Smoking shisha is harmful for one’s health. According to research done by the World Health Organisation (W.H.O), the usage of shisha is more dangerous than that of cigarettes. It has also been researched that smoking shisha does not cause intoxication, however it contains tobacco flavouring and a dangerous substance known as nicotine. Just as they have presented their research on the link below:
http://www.who.int/tobacco/global_interaction/tobreg/Waterpipe%20recommendation_Final.pdf
Due to this reason, Smoking shisha is same as smoking cigarettes. Hence whoever smokes shisha alone, then it is permissible, however it is better to avoid this, as this is a means of putting one’s health in danger.
One who goes to shisha lounges, without doubt, this is impermissible and a sinful activity as from being informed there is mixing between both genders, gathering of disbelievers and sinners, music (which is accursed) being played which is impermissible.
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Bilal Shabir
Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0504] What is the Islamic ruling on smoking Shisha?
Also see:
[Q-ID0051] What is the Islamic ruling on smoking cigarettes?