A man of the Ansar called him and AbdurRahman ibn Awf and supplied them wine before it was prohibited. Ali then led them in the evening prayer, and he recited; "Say: O ye who reject faith." He was confused in it. Then the following verse came down: "O ye who believe! approach not prayers with a mind befogged until you can understand all that ye say.
Hadith Commentary: The Prohibition of Prayer in Intoxicated State
This narration from Sunan Abi Dawud 3671 in the Book of Drinks (Kitab Al-Ashribah) recounts a significant incident preceding the final prohibition of intoxicants. The companions, including the noble Ali ibn Abi Talib and AbdurRahman ibn Awf, consumed wine when it was still permissible in early Islam.
Scholarly Analysis of the Incident
The confusion in prayer recitation demonstrated the spiritual and mental impairment caused by intoxication. When Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) led prayer while affected by wine, his recitation of Surah Al-Kafirun became disordered, showing that intoxication prevents proper devotion and comprehension in worship.
This incident served as a practical demonstration of why approaching prayer in an intoxicated state is forbidden. The mind's clarity is essential for understanding what one recites and for maintaining the proper reverence (khushu') required in prayer.
Revelation of the Prohibitive Verse
As a direct consequence of this event, Allah revealed the verse from Surah An-Nisa (4:43): "O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying." This verse established the initial restriction that eventually led to the complete prohibition of all intoxicants.
Scholars note this represents the wisdom of gradual legislation in Islam, where Allah first forbade prayer while intoxicated before the complete prohibition, allowing the companions to gradually abandon this deeply ingrained pre-Islamic practice.
Legal Implications and Contemporary Relevance
Classical scholars derived from this hadith that any substance causing mental confusion or impairment invalidates prayer and makes its performance forbidden. This ruling extends beyond alcohol to include drugs and medications that affect mental clarity.
The incident teaches that worship requires full presence of mind and consciousness. Any state that compromises one's ability to understand the words of prayer or maintain proper concentration renders the prayer invalid and its performance sinful.