Now coming to the point. Behold I when the command pertaining to the prohibition of wine was revealed, it was prepared from five things: from wheat, barley, date, grape, honey; and wine is that which clouds the intellect; and O people, I wish Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) could have explained to us in (more) detail the laws pertaining to the inheritance of the grandfather, about one who dies leaving no issue, and some of the problems pertaining to interest.
The Prohibition of Intoxicants
The statement clarifies that the prohibition of wine (khamr) encompasses all substances that cause intoxication, regardless of their source. The five mentioned items—wheat, barley, dates, grapes, and honey—were the common bases for fermented drinks in that era. The defining characteristic is not the source material, but the effect: "that which clouds the intellect." This establishes a universal legal principle that any substance causing loss of reason is prohibited.
Wisdom Behind the Prohibition
The primary wisdom is the preservation of the intellect ('aql), one of the five essential objectives of Islamic Law (Maqasid al-Shari'ah). Intoxicants lead to neglect of prayer, squandering of wealth, and breakdown of social order. The gradual prohibition, as narrated in various ahadith, demonstrates Allah's mercy in easing the community into this ruling.
Unanswered Questions & Scholarly Endeavor
The speaker's wish regarding more detailed rulings on the grandfather's share, inheritance of one without direct heirs (kalalah), and complex issues of usury (riba) highlights a profound reality of Islamic jurisprudence. Not every minute detail was explicitly revealed; rather, the Prophet (ﷺ) established principles. This became the basis for ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) by the Companions and subsequent scholars, who derived rulings using the Qur'an, Sunnah, and established methodologies, ensuring the Shari'ah's applicability for all times.