#الأربعون_في_ذكر_الأربعين

14. Prayers Are Not Accepted for 40 Days If One Consumes Intoxicants 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ((مَنْ شَرِبَ الْخَمْرَ وَسَكِرَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا وَإِنْ مَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِنْ عَادَ فَشَرِبَ فَسَكِرَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ مَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِنْ عَادَ فَشَرِبَ فَسَكِرَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ مَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِنْ عَادَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يَسْقِيَهُ مِنْ رَدَغَةِ الْخَبَالِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ. قَالُوا : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، وَمَا رَدَغَةُ الْخَبَالِ؟ قَالَ: عُصَارَةُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ)) “Whoever drinks alcohol and becomes drunk, his prayers will not be accepted for forty mornings. If he dies, he will enter the Fire. But if he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns to drinking, becomes drunk again, his prayers will not be accepted for forty mornings. If he dies, he will enter the Fire. But if he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns again and becomes drunk, his prayers will not be accepted for forty mornings. If he dies, he will enter the Fire. But if he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. But if he returns again (a fourth time), it will be a right upon Allah to make him drink from the ‘Radghat Al-Khabal’ on the Day of Resurrection.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is Radghat Al-Khabal?” He said, “It is the fluid extracted from the people of Hell.” [Reported by Ibn Majah (3377), and graded sahih by Sheikh Albani in “Sahih Ibn Majah.”] Brief Commentary: 1. Alcohol is known as Umm Al-Khaba’ith (the root of all evils) because it clouds the mind and leads to sinful behaviour, wrongdoing, and harmful consequences in both this life and the Hereafter. 2. The prayers of anyone who consumes alcohol will not be accepted for forty days, whether they become drunk or not. According to the wording in Musnad Ahmad (11/219) 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: ((مَنْ شَرِبَ مِنَ الْخَمْرِ شَرْبَةً لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا)) “Whoever drinks even a single drink of alcohol, his prayer will not be accepted for forty mornings.” [The scholars who verified Al-Musnad said: “Its chain of narration is authentic.”] Similarly, Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ((مَنْ شَرِبَ الْخَمْرَ فَلَمْ يَنْتَشِ، لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ مَا دَامَ فِي جَوْفِهِ أَوْ عُرُوقِهِ مِنْهَا شَيْءٌ)) “Whoever drinks alcohol and does not become intoxicated, his prayer will not be accepted as long as any of it remains in his stomach or veins.” [Reported by An-Nasa’i (5668) and graded sahih by Shaykh Albani in “Sahih Sunan An-Nasa’i” (3/517)] Note: Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam Al-Ithyobi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his explanation of Sunan An-Nasa’i: “The hadith is authentically reported as a statement of a Companion (mawquf), but something like this takes the ruling of a statement attributed to the Prophet.” 3. This does not mean the prayer is invalid—the obligation is still fulfilled—but no reward is recorded. 4. Scholars explain that this ruling applies to all intoxicants — not just wine. 5. Scholars also explain that this period is because the effects of such substances usually remain in the body for up to forty days. 6. If a person returns to drinking, the same ruling applies each time: forty days without reward for prayer. However, if they sincerely repent—by abandoning the sin, regretting and turning back to Allah—then their repentance will always be accepted, no matter how many times they fall, as long as they are sincere.