Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
Enter Question
View By Subject
Fatwa Of The Week
Selected Fatwa
Fatwa CenterHer father is a drunkard
Question
My father is a drunkard. He drinks for past 11 years. If we tell him to stop this habit, he gives 2 reasons for not stopping that. 1) Since he is drinking continuously for 4 years he can’t stop it. 2) Due to family problems he is getting tension frequently. When he drinks he feels relaxed. Please help my father to get out of this habit by good advices.
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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
Drinking alcohol is one of the great major sins and it is the cause for a lot of evil. Allaah has set a punishment for it in this life and a severe torment in the Hereafter. Therefore, you have to advise your father and do not despair in doing so. Indeed one of the means of being very dutiful to him is to advise him. You also have to supplicate Allaah as much as possible to guide him, choosing the best and appropriate time for doing so, like when in prostration and during the last third of the night and the like. You can also seek the help of whomever you think will have an influence on him. The excuses that your father had presented to you are unsound and invalid; this could be clarified in the following:
Firstly, some companions 
used to drink but when the verse prohibiting the drinking of alcohol was revealed, they accepted the commandment and poured it in the streets of Madeenah and did not present excuses such as being used to drinking it. So this is an evidence that if there is a true determination and being sincere to Allaah, the matter would become easy to fulfil. One scholar said: 'Indeed it is very difficult for someone to leave a habit if he leaves it for other than for the sake of Allaah.' So remind him about the saying of Allaah (which means): {As for he who gives and fears Allah, and believes in the best [reward], We will ease him toward ease.}[92:5-7].
Secondly, family problems could be because of his sins like drinking alcohol. Allaah says (which means): {And whatever strikes you of disaster — it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.}[42:30]. It might be that when he repents, Allaah will save him from these problems. In any case you have to continue advising him with soft words, good admonition and wisdom, and try to avoid problems in the family as that might help him become righteous.
Allaah knows best.
Search Fatwa
Fatwa Subject
