The Origin of the Prohibition on Wine

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, made Adam (a.s.) to descend, He commanded him to farm and plant and threw to him a plant from the plant of the garden (paradises). He gave him palm trees, grape vines, olives and pomegranates. He planted them for his offspring and descendents. He ate from its fruits. Iblis, may Allah condemn him, asked, ‘What are these plantations, O Adam, which I did not know of on earth even though I was here before you? Will you allow me to eat from them something?’ Adam (a.s.) did not allow him. Iblis came during the end of the life of Adam (a.s.), to Eve saying, ‘I am in a very bad condition because of hunger and thirst.’ Eve asked, ‘What do you want?’ He said, ‘I want you to allow me taste these fruits.’ She said, ‘Adam (a.s.), has made me to promise not to feed you anything from these plantations because it is from the garden (paradises) and it is not proper for you to eat anything from them. He said to her, ‘Squeeze something from them on my palm.’ She refused. He said, ‘Allow me to suck but I will not eat.’ She took one bunch of grapes and gave it to him who sucked but did not eat from it because Eve had stressed on him not to eat. When he was about to bite Eve pulled it out from his mouth and Allah, most Blessed, most High, revealed to Adam (a.s.) that My enemy and your enemy, Iblis, has sucked the grape and the juice of wine is unlawful for you which is mixed with the breath of Iblis. Wine became unlawful because of the enemy of Allah, Iblis deceived Eve until he sucked the grape, but if he would eat, grapes would have become unlawful from the beginning to end and all of its fruits and what comes out of it. He then said to Eve, ‘I wish you to allow me to suck from this date as you allowed me to suck the grape. She gave him one date and he sucked it. Grapes and dates had strong smells, finer than musk al -Adhfar (sweet smelling) and sweeter than honey. When the condemned enemy of Allah, Iblis sucked them, their fragrance went away and sweetness reduced.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Iblis, may Allah condemn him, went after the death of Adam (a.s.), and urinated on the root of grape vines and palm trees. Water flowed in their veins of the urine of Iblis, the enemy of Allah; and thereafter grape and dates ferment. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has made it unlawful for the offspring of Adam (a.s.), all intoxicating things because water carried the urine of the enemy of Allah in the palm tree and grape vines. Every fermenting thing becomes wine because water fermented in the palm tree and grape vines and it is because of the urine of the enemy of Allah, Iblis, may Allah condemn him.’”