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Wants to quit smoking
Fatwa No: 88467

Question

I am a recent convert/revert to Islam, I had left my non Muslim husband for Islam and I'm trying to correct all mistakes I made in life, I have one bad habit I am trying to rid myself of and that's smoking are there any Du'aa for this affliction? I have smoked since I was 13 and am now 30 so it is very hard.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

 

First of all, we praise Allaah for guiding you to the religion of Islam and we ask Him to make you steadfast on it until you die. We give you glad tidings that Islam wipes out the previous sins as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to 'Amr Ibn 'Al-'Aas when he became a Muslim: "Are you not aware that Islam wipes out the previous sins and that migration (i.e. from non-Muslim countries to Muslim countries) wipes out the previous sins and that pilgrimage wipes out the previous sins." [Muslim]

As regards smoking, Allaah -out of His Mercy to His slaves – forbade all that is harmful to them and permitted for them all that is beneficial.  Reality proves that smoking is dangerous for health and it causes many fatal and dangerous diseases.  Therefore, a Muslim should avoid it.

 

The following matters are needed in order to give up smoking:

A Muslim must always remember that he is a Muslim, and so, he must submit himself to the Commands of Allaah; Allaah Says (what means): {It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error.}[Quran 33:36].
Having a sincere intention for Allaah and being really determined, because Allaah will help whoever is sincerely tries to give up a sin . However, it will be hard for someone to give up a bad habit if he is not sincere.  Allaah Says (what means): {…then if they had been true to Allaah, it would have been better for them.} [Quran 47:21].
Reminding oneself of Allaah's Greatness at the time of committing sin:  If a Muslim remembers the Greatness of Allaah when he smokes, he would feel shy of Him.  One of the pious predecessors said: “Do not look at the smallness of the sin, but rather consider the Greatness of Whom you disobeyed”.
 Supplicating Allaah as much as possible asking Him to help you give up smoking.  There is no specific supplication in this concern because smoking was only discovered in recent centuries.  However, one may ask Allaah's help in giving up this bad practice.
Remembering the bad consequences of smoking in both this worldly life and the Hereafter.  The known harms of smoking such as cancer and the like are enough a deterrence to give it up.
Befriending pious and righteous people and avoiding smokers also helps one to give it up.   

 Allaah Knows best.

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