A person presented to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a small water-skin of wine. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Do you know that Allah has forbidden it? He said: No. He then whispered to another man. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked him what he had whispered. He said: I advised him to sell that, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Verily He Who has forbidden its drinking has forbidden its sale also. He (the narrator) said: He opened the waterskin until what was contained in it was spilt.
The Book of Musaqah - Sahih Muslim 1579a
This narration from Sahih Muslim demonstrates the comprehensive prohibition of intoxicants in Islamic law, encompassing both consumption and commercial transactions.
Scholarly Commentary
The Prophet's response "Verily He Who has forbidden its drinking has forbidden its sale also" establishes the principle that whatever is prohibited to consume is likewise prohibited to sell, trade, or facilitate in any commercial manner.
The initial ignorance of the companion regarding the prohibition does not exempt him from the ruling once it has been clarified, demonstrating that knowledge of divine commandments is obligatory upon Muslims.
The spontaneous destruction of the wine by spilling it out shows the immediate compliance expected when a religious prohibition is understood, without seeking loopholes or alternative benefits from the forbidden substance.
Legal Implications
This hadith forms the basis for prohibiting all transactions involving haram substances, including manufacturing, distribution, and retail of intoxicants.
The ruling extends beyond wine to all intoxicating substances, as established by the general principle "every intoxicant is khamr (wine) and every khamr is forbidden."
Earnings from such prohibited transactions are considered impure wealth (mal khabīth) that Muslims must avoid.