What is the ruling on smoking hookah (shisha)?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

The ruling on smoking hookah is similar to the ruling on smoking cigarettes. However, physicians more strongly warn people from smoking hookah as it includes larger amounts of nicotine than cigarettes. Thus, it is more harmful. It has been scientifically approved that smoking seriously causes different types of cancer such as lung and respiratory cancers and larynx cancer. It also causes other serious diseases.

According to the rule which says that a person is not allowed to harm themselves or kill themselves even if this is done indirectly, smoking hookah is haram.

Allah says:

“And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” An-Nisa’: 29

Ibn Abbas RRA narrated: The messenger of Allah said: “There should neither be harming, nor reciprocating harm.”

Keeping yourself safe is one of the five objectives of the Islamic Sharia’. Therefore, a Muslim is not permitted to consume (eat, drink, smoke) anything which causes harm or leads to death.