Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

As salaamu alaikum,

Are the Electronic cigarettes/ E cigs/ Vaporisers haraam to use? If yes, explain please.

Wa Alaikum Assalaam,

الجواب و بالله التوفيق

The Electronic cigarettes emit vaporised nicotine which is inhaled by an individual. Though one avoids inhaling Tabacco smoke, yet, one inhales vaporized nicotine which is a poisonous substance and is very harmful for a person.

Many people have highlighted the fact that e-cigarettes help a person give up smoking which is a great benefit, and that it is less harmful then tobacco cigarettes since it does not contain tobacco. Although this may be so, yet, there are harms in using electronic cigarettes. Many experts have concluded that e-cigarettes are no safer that regular tobacco cigarettes.

This means that just as tobacco cigarettes are harmful to one’s health and it is considered to be haram (by some Scholars) and Makrooh Tahreemi (reprehensible to a great extent) by others, so too, the electronic cigarettes will be either haram or Makrooh Tahreemi because of its harms to the body. It should be noted that the technical term ‘Makrooh Tahreemi’ indicates that something is strictly abominable in Islam and close to being haram. Hence, one must not do it.

In fact, the National Fatwa Council of Malaysia have declared e-cigarettes to be haram (unlawful, since it is harmful). Many others Scholars have issued a similar verdict. Therefore, Electronic Cigarettes will not be permissible to use.

And Allah Knows Best.

Mufti Waseem Khan.

18/02/2016.