Personal Views Aligned with Divine Revelations: Prohibition of Alcohol
In relation to the prohibition of alcohol, there is mention in Sunan al-Tirmidhi of Hazrat Umar’s (ra) opinion on the matter being in accordance with Allah the Almighty’s revelation. Hazrat Umar (ra) bin al-Khattab prayed, “O Allah, grant us a conclusive decision with regard to alcohol”. Then, the following verse of Surah al-Baqarah was revealed:
يَسۡـَٔلُوْنَكَ عَنِ الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِۖ
“They ask thee concerning wine and the game of hazard. Say: ‘In both there is great sin and also some advantages for men; but their sin is greater than their advantage.’”
When this verse was revealed, it was recited to Hazrat Umar (ra). Having heard it, Hazrat Umar (ra) said, “O Allah, grant us a clear commandment in relation to alcohol.” Then the following verse of Surah al-Nisa was revealed:
لَا تَقۡرَبُواا لصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنتُمۡ سُكَٰرَىٰ
“O ye who believe! Approach not Prayer when you are not in [full] possession of your senses, until you know what you say.”
Hazrat Umar (ra) then came once more and this verse was recited to him. He again supplicated, “O Allah, grant us a clear commandment with regards to alcohol.”
Then the following verse of Surah al-Ma‘idah was revealed:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيۡطٰنُ أَنْ يُوْقِعَ بَيۡنَكُمُ الۡعَدٰوَةَ وَالۡبَغۡضَآءَ فِي الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَوٰةِۖ فَهَلۡ أَنْتُم مُّنْتَهُوْنَ “Satan desires only to create enmity and hatred among you by means of wine and the game of hazard, and to keep you back from the remembrance of Allah and from Prayer. But will you keep back?”
Hazrat Umar (ra) came once again and this verse was recited to him. Upon this, he stated, “Surely we will refrain from this, surely we will refrain from this.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab Tafsir al-Quran, Bab wa min Surah al-Ma‘idah, Hadith 3049)
Aside from the narration in the Sihah-e-Sittah regarding these instances of agreement [of his viewpoint with the Word of Allah], historians have recorded a number of other incidents of such agreements. Allamah Suyuti Sahib has recorded 20 such incidents.
(Tarikh al-Khulafa, p. 98, Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi, Beirut, 1999)