Introduction
Alcohol is glamorized and promoted as a symbol of celebration and social bonding. Alcohol is also projected as an anti-dote for worries and stress. The reality of alcohol is dark. The evils of alcohol are many and what starts with cheers will make you drown in tears.
The Final Prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be on him) said:
Do not drink alcohol, because it leads to all kinds of evil.
Ibn Majah # 3371
This article explores the evils of alcohol, its consequences for individuals and society, and why health experts worldwide strongly caution against its use.
How Alcohol Affects the Brain
Will you dance?
If someone asks you to take your shirt off and dance in the middle of the street, you will immediately say “No way!” Why? Because your brain knows it’s inappropriate and embarrassing.
But if a drunk person is asked to do the same, he might do it without thinking twice. This is because alcohol causes disinhibition in the brain.
What is Disinhibition?
We have a ‘control center’ in our brain that stops us from doing silly, risky, or socially unacceptable things. This ‘control center’ is called the prefrontal cortex. It acts like the brakes in a car. When this ‘control center’ is impaired, the brakes fail, and people lose their inhibitions. This is why it is called disinhibition.
Alcohol and Disinhibition
The alcohol molecule dissolves in both water and fat, allowing it to invade almost every cell in the body, including the brain. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which is part of the US government’s Department of Health & Human Services, mentions that alcohol causes disinhibition as it makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgment.
This leads to:
- Risk-taking behaviour
- Aggression and violence
- Sexual misconduct
- Dangerous driving decisions
That’s why, when people are drunk, they lose their inhibitions and say embarrassing things.
Coming to the question of “will you dance?”, the brakes in the brain of a sober person work well. So, they stop themselves from embarrassment. For a drunk person, the brakes in the brain fail. So, they start dancing without thinking.
Alcohol is Harmful — Even at Low Levels
Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges from World Health Organization says:
We cannot talk about a so-called safe level of alcohol use. It doesn’t matter how much you drink – the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage.
Unit Lead and Regional Head for Alcohol, WHO
The Final Prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be on him) said:
Every intoxicant is unlawful and whatever causes intoxication in large amounts, a small amount of it is (also) unlawful.
Ibn Majah # 3392
Alcohol has the highest overall harm score and is the most harmful substance. It is more harmful than drugs like heroin and cocaine.
This is because alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive substance that is as dangerous as radiation and asbestos. When the body breaks down alcohol, it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical even more harmful than alcohol itself. This substance damages cells, DNA, and tissues throughout the body.
Remember, social drinking is also harmful to your mental and physical health.
Damage to the Brain
When alcohol enters the brain, it:
- Shrinks neurons and weakens connections
- Impairs judgment and self-control
- Distorts emotions
- Disrupts memory and learning
As a result, alcohol does not merely intoxicate a person temporarily; over time, it rewires the brain, leading to problems such as impaired memory, reduced thinking ability, and an increased risk of early-onset dementia.
Cancer and 200+ diseases
WHO (World Health Organization) says that consumption of alcohol causes more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions. This includes cancers, cardiovascular diseases, liver disease and mental disorders.
Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including the most common cancer types, such as bowel cancer and female breast cancer. Worldwide, alcohol causes around 740,000 new cancer cases per year, leading to 400,000 deaths.
Alcohol and Accidents
Around the world, lot of accidents happen due to drunk driving. Alcohol contributed to 724,000 deaths. WHO mentions that 1 in 3 injury deaths are caused by alcohol. More than half of the people who died in those accidents didn’t drink. They were killed because someone else was drunk.
In US alone, data from US Department of Transport shows that every 42 minutes, one person dies in alcohol-impaired driving accidents.
Alcohol and Crimes
There is a link between the increasing crime rate and alcohol. A study of violent offenders revealed that most crimes were committed under the influence of alcohol. According to NCRB (National Crimes Records Bureau) 85% of the crimes are due to alcoholism. 50% of all sexual assaults is committed by drunk offenders. Each year, alcohol-fueled crime kills about 100,000 people.
Can alcohol solve your problems?
Some say, “Alcohol helps me forget my worries.” Does it really?
Imagine a man drowning in worries who takes a sleeping pill. While he sleeps, his worries disappear, but when he wakes up, the problems are still there, unchanged. Alcohol works the same way.
It may numb the mind for a short while, but when the effect wears off:
- The problems return
- The mind feels heavier
- Regret and anxiety often increase
To make matters worse, alcohol doesn’t just fail to solve problems. It creates new ones:
- Health issues
- Broken relationships
- Poor decisions
- Dependence and addiction
Escaping reality does not solve problems. Face problems with clarity, patience, faith, and support from family and friends. This will build emotional strength, inner peace, and lasting relief, not a bottle that gives temporary relief today and destroys you tomorrow.
Alcohol – A $1.8 Trillion Industry
Despite its harms, alcohol is heavily promoted in movies, advertising, and social media because it is a multi-trillion-dollar global industry. By 2033, the alcohol market is expected to reach $3.6 trillion. To make money, drinking is made to look normal and harmless. In today’s materialistic world, money matters more than morality. Do not fall prey to the glamorization and normalization of alcohol.
Conclusion
Islam’s prohibition of alcohol is rooted in divine wisdom, which modern science now strongly confirms. Alcohol is not a harmless pleasure; it is a serious public health threat that fuels disinhibition, violence, broken families, and the loss of countless lives.
There is an urgent need for a strong Alcohol Control Policy that puts people’s health and long-term well-being above profit, with a focus on prevention, education, and rehabilitation.
True peace and relief do not come from intoxication. They come from clarity of mind, self-control, healthy relationships, and meaningful human connection. It is time for the society to understand that the harm caused by alcohol far outweighs any temporary pleasure it promises.
They ask you [Prophet] about intoxicants and gambling. Say, “There is great evil in both, as well as some benefit for people, but the evil is greater than the benefit.“
Quran Chapter 2 Verse 219
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You can also check out this article on evils of alcohol.
