Addiction is the opposite of the believer's worship of Allah — because one who is a servant cannot also be a servant to something else. Alcohol, gambling, smoking, drugs — and beyond classical addictions, the modern age has given us digital ones: social media, gaming, pornography, constant screens. This sermon explores Islam's view of addiction, its classical and modern forms, and the path to liberation.
Classical Addiction — Alcohol and Gambling
In Surah al-Ma'idah Allah shows the believers the true face of alcohol and gambling:
— Al-Ma'idah 5:90-91O you who believe! Wine, gambling, sacrificial altars, and divining arrows are an abomination — the work of Satan. So avoid them that you may prosper. Satan only intends to plant enmity and hatred between you through wine and gambling, and to divert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then desist?
The verse shows two faces of addiction:
- It diverts from the remembrance of Allah — taking the place of salah and dhikr.
- It plants enmity between people — pain spreads around the addict.
The forbiddenness of alcohol is undisputed; the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) emphasized this many times:
— al-Tirmidhi, Ashribah, no. 1865Every intoxicant whose large amount intoxicates — its small amount is also forbidden.
"Whose large amount intoxicates" — not one glass, but anything sufficient for intoxication. Anything that veils the intellect falls under the same scope: beer, wine, vodka — whatever the brand.
Modern Addictions — Digital Servitude
Today the Islamic rule is the same, but the application has widened. Anything that veils the intellect, paralyzes the will, devours time, diverts from salah, and makes one neglect family falls under the addiction category.
Social media addiction: never putting the phone down, constant scrolling, waiting for psychological feedback through likes. The Prophet's (peace be upon him) hadith "Two blessings most people are deceived about: health and free time" — Sahih al-Bukhari, Riqaq, no. 6412 has become an even sharper mirror for this age. When free time is given to social media, the greatest blessing turns into the greatest waste.
Gaming addiction: hours-long games causing real-life responsibilities to be forgotten. If a servant misses their salah, neglects their family, falls behind at work — gaming is no longer entertainment but a sin to be mastered.
Pornography addiction: the contemporary face of visual zina. Allah says: "Do not approach zina; indeed it is an immorality and an evil way" (Al-Isra' 17:32). The prohibition is approaching — not just the act, but every step that leads to it. Watching pornography is a direct violation of this prohibition.
Gambling — its new versions: betting sites, online poker, crypto speculation. Islam's prohibition of gambling covers every financial transaction in which gain is not the product of labor and the outcome depends on chance.
The Three Stages of Addiction — Classical Diagnosis
Classical Islamic scholars describe the path the soul loses on in three stages:
1. Hatirah: the first thought that comes to mind. This is innocent and bears no responsibility.
2. Hamm: to dwell on it, think about it, imagine it. Here the will enters; when you open the heart to an unwanted thought, the seed of addiction is planted.
3. Azm: the decision to do it. After this point, the action is decreed.
The fight against addiction is won at the hamm stage. Saying "astaghfirullah" when the first thought arises, putting down the phone, turning away the gaze — these seem small steps but they break the ladder of addiction.
Three Steps to Liberation
To break free of addiction, classical and modern methods rest on the same foundation:
1. Intention and Tawbah: Take refuge in Allah and make a firm intention. "From today I will not do this again" — this word is a pact made with Allah. The same practice as tawbah nasūhā.
2. Cut the Causes: Cut the paths that lead to the addiction's source. The alcoholic does not enter places where alcohol is present. The pornography addict watches their phone use. The social media addict deletes the app or limits the time. Without removing the causes, the effect does not lift.
3. Fill the Replacement: Place something better in the void the addiction leaves. Quran reading instead of hours of gaming; remembrance at salah times instead of scrolling; the congregation instead of the bar. Without filling the void, addiction returns.
Approaching Your Addicted Brother
What should a believer do when a brother is addicted? Islam's answer is not condemnation but embrace and guidance.
A man who repeatedly drank alcohol was brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and was whipped. As the man was leaving, one of those present said: "May Allah disgrace him — how often he does this!" The Messenger of Allah objected:
— Sahih al-Bukhari, Hudud, no. 6780Do not curse him; by Allah, I know that he loves Allah and His Messenger.
A magnificent lesson is in this hadith: addiction is a fault, but it does not make a person sub-human nor take them out of faith. When we see a brother's addiction, what we should do is pray for them, embrace them, and show them the path to liberation.
Liberation From Addiction With VAAZ
The VAAZ app's prayer times creates a natural discipline against digital addiction by dividing the day into five stops. The du'a archive categorizes du'as for struggling with the soul and isti'adhah (seeking refuge in Allah). The 99 Names collection includes Al-Qahir (the Subduer) and Al-Muhaymin (the Watchful) — reminding the addict of Allah's sovereignty over them.
For the genuine practice of tawbah, see A Sermon on Tawbah.
Addiction is among the most widespread tests of the modern age. The believer does not say "I am a bad person" and give up; they say "I will be freed from this illness" and take refuge in Allah. The first step is to make the intention, the second is to cut the causes, and the third is to fill with good. Allah keeps the door of return always open — to remember this is enough.
References
- The Qur'an, Al-Ma'idah 5:90-91, Diyanet translation.
- al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Ashribah, Hadith No. 1865.
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab ar-Riqaq, Hadith No. 6412.
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Hudud, Hadith No. 6780.