Alcohol
Compilations[edit]
Letters from the Universal House of Justice[edit]
Wine has advantages, but its disadvantages outweigh its advantages[edit]
"They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit.""
- (Qur'án, 2:219)
Avoid atmosphere with much drinking[edit]
From Lights of Guidance (uncategorized)[edit]
The Renouncing of Tobacco, Alcohol and Opium--Purity and Sanctity Should Distinguish the People of Bahá[edit]
"O ye, God's loved ones! Experience hath shown how greatly the renouncing of smoking, of intoxicating drink, and of opium, conduceth to health and vigour, to the expansion and keenness of the mind and to bodily strength. There is today a people[+F1 (Possibly Abdu'l-Bahá was referring to the Sikhs)] who strictly avoid tobacco, intoxicating liquor and opium. This people is far and away superior to the others, for strength and physical courage, for health, beauty and comeliness. A single one of their men can stand up to ten men of another tribe. This hath proved true of the entire people: that is, member for member, each individual of this community is in every respect superior to the individuals of other communities.
"Make ye then a mighty effort, that the purity and sanctity which, above all else, are cherished by Abdu'l-Bahá, shall distinguish the people of Bahá; that in every kind of excellence the people of God shall surpass all other human beings; that both outwardly and inwardly they shall prove superior to the rest; that for purity, immaculacy, refinement, and the preservation of health, they shall be leaders in the vanguard of those who know. And that by their freedom from enslavement, their knowledge, their self-control, they shall be first among the pure, the free and the wise."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá: Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 150, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1188)
Both Light and Strong Drinks Prohibited Unless Prescribed by a Doctor[edit]
"Regarding the use of liquor: According to the text of the Book of Aqdas, both light and strong drinks are prohibited. The reason for this prohibition is that alcohol leadeth the mind astray and causeth the weakening of the body. If alcohol were beneficial, it would have been brought into the world by the divine creation and not by the effort of man. Whatever is beneficial for man existeth in creation. Now it hath been proved and is established medically and scientifically that liquor is harmful.
"As to the meaning of that which is written in the Tablets: 'I have chosen for thee whatsoever is in the heaven and the earth', this signifieth those things which are in accordance with the divine purpose and not the things which are harmful. For instance, one of the existing things is poison. Can we say that poison must be used as it hath been created by God? Nevertheless, intoxicating liquor, if prescribed by a physician for the patient and if its use is absolutely necessary, then it is permissible.
"In brief, I hope that thou mayest become inebriated with the wine of the love of God, find eternal bliss and receive inexhaustible joy and happiness. All wine hath depression as an after effect, except the wine of the Love of God."
- (From a Tablet of Abdu'l-Bahá to an individual believer, translated from the Persian: Prohibition of Intoxicating Drinks, A Compilation, April 1979, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1171)
In the Kitab-i-Aqdas It is Forbidden to Take Anything that Deranges the Mind[edit]
"With regard to your first question on alcohol and drinking, Bahá'u'lláh, fully aware of the great misery that it brings about, prohibits it as He expressly states that everything that takes away the mind, or in other words makes one drunk, is forbidden."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, February 15, 1926: Prohibition of Intoxicating Drinks, A Compilation, April 1979, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1172)
Drinking Forbidden, No Excuse to Touch It Even in Plum Pudding[edit]
"Under no circumstances should Bahá'ís drink. It is so unambiguously forbidden in the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh that there is no excuse for them even touching it in the form of a toast, or in a burning plum pudding; in fact, in any way."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, March 3, 1957: Cited in a letter from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador, December 21, 1972, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1173)
Cake Flavours and Extracts[edit]
"You ask whether it is permissible for the friends to use cake flavours, such as vanilla, lemon and rum flavoured extracts, as such flavours have a certain percentage of alcohol in them, and whether Bahá'ís may work in factories manufacturing such extracts.
"We have found no texts prohibiting the friends from using flavoured extracts in their food. This may be a matter for later legislation by the Universal House of Justice but for the time being the friends should be left free to do as they choose. The same principle applies to those who are employed in factories manufacturing such extracts."
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, April 7, 1974, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1174)
Strictly Prohibited Foods Flavoured with Alcoholic Liquors[edit]
"With reference to your question whether those foods which have been flavoured with alcoholic liquors such as brandy, rum, etc., should be classified under the same category as the intoxicating drinks, and consequently be avoided by believers, the Guardian wishes all the friends to know that such foods, or beverages, are strictly prohibited."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, January 9, 1939, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1175)
Alcohol for Home Remedies, No Instruction Allowing Its Use[edit]
"Although it is clear from the teachings that the use of alcohol is permitted if it is prescribed by a physician for treatment purposes, we have not been able to find any instructions which permit its use in the preparation of home remedies for common illnesses."
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador, December 21, 1973, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1176)
The Serving of Alcoholic Drinks by Bahá'ís and Bahá'í Institutions[edit]
"In response to questions raised on the permissibility of serving alcoholic drinks in a number of different circumstances, the Universal House of Justice has formulated the following guidelines.
"The fact that Bahá'ís themselves must not drink alcohol is abundantly clear and needs no comment here. With regard to the serving of alcohol to non-Bahá'ís:
1. No Bahá'í institution should serve alcohol to non-Bahá'ís under any circumstances.
2. If an individual Bahá'í is entertaining an individual guest or a small group of guests as an official representative of the Bahá'í community, he should not serve alcohol in his own home, but must use his discretion whether or not to do so if the entertaining is taking place in a restaurant.
3. No Bahá'í should serve alcohol at any function or reception given by him, such as a wedding reception or a party to which a number of people are invited.
4. When a Bahá'í is privately entertaining an individual non-Bahá'í or a small group of guests in his own home, he must himself judge whether or not to serve alcohol. This will depend to a great degree on the customs of the country in which he is living, the individuals concerned, and the host's relationship to his guests. Obviously it is better for the Bahá'í not to serve alcohol if possible, but against this he must weigh the probable reaction of the guest in the circumstances which prevail and in the particular situation. In some countries there would be no problem in failing to provide alcohol to a guest; in others it would be regarded as extremely peculiar and anti-social and would immediately raise a barrier to further contact. It is not desirable to make a major issue of the matter.
5. When such private entertaining of an individual or small group of non-Bahá'ís is taking place in a restaurant the same general principles as in point 4 above apply, except that in such a public place a failure to provide alcoholic drinks would be less easily understood than in a private home, and the Bahá'í must use his discretion accordingly.
6. Alcohol must not be served in a restaurant or other business which is wholly owned by Bahá'ís.
7. If a Bahá'í is employed by others in a job which involves the serving of alcohol, he is not obliged to change that employment. This is a matter left to each individual to decide in the light of his own conscience. Obviously such kinds of employment vary widely from bartending to serving in a grocery in which wine is retailed. If the job requires a great deal of involvement with the serving of alcohol it is better for the Bahá'í to obtain other employment if he can."
- (Guidelines prepared by the Universal House of Justice, The Serving of Alcoholic Drinks by Bahá'ís and Bahá'í Institutions, attached to a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, January 31, 1982, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1177)
A Business Partnership Between a Bahá'í and Non-Bahá'ís[edit]
"Since no explicit text or instruction of the beloved Guardian has been found on such a situation, i.e., the sale of alcoholic beverages by a business in which a Bahá'í is a partner with non-Bahá'ís, the House of Justice feels that no hard and fast rules should be drawn at the present time. This is a matter which needs to be decided in each case in the light of the spirit of the teachings and the circumstances of the case and, unless the situation is endangering the good name of the Faith, it should be left to the conscience of the believer concerned who should, of course, make every effort to dissociate himself from such an activity."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, October 10, 1983, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1178)
Assembly's Role Toward Those Who Continue to Drink[edit]
"As to those believers who continue to drink, they should be lovingly exhorted, then firmly warned and eventually deprived of their voting rights. The number of times a person is exhorted and warned is a matter left to the discretion of each Local Spiritual Assembly, in consultation with the National Spiritual Assembly. The policy you adopt should not be one of removing the administrative rights of the believers in a bureaucratic and automatic way, as this would be unwise and unjust. Your Assembly as well as all Local Spiritual Assemblies should courageously and continuously remind the friends of their obligation in this respect, handle firmly all flagrant cases, and use such cases in a way that, by force of example, they exert their influence upon the other believers. It must be made clear to the Local Assemblies that they should be willing to cooperate with the believers affected by such drinking habits, when any such believer promises gradually and systematically to reduce his drinking with the objective in mind of entirely abandoning this habit."
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of South and West Africa, November 12, 1965, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1179)
Alcoholism and Alcoholics Anonymous[edit]
"With regard to the problem of alcoholism, which is indeed a terrible scourge to mankind, it must never become a source of disunity among believers. Bahá'u'lláh's principle, in case of sickness, is to consult the best physician you can, follow his advice, and pray. If, therefore, you have consulted Alcoholics Anonymous, this should be your procedure. If, however, you are not satisfied with them, you are entirely free to consult someone else. But the same principle would apply. Do what the doctor (or expert) says, and pray."
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice, July 14, 1963, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1180)
Bahá'í Advertising Agent Should Use Wisdom in Avoiding the Promotion of Intoxicating Drinks[edit]
"The House of Justice ... points out that, as far as advertising is concerned, the Bahá'í must use wisdom in deciding what is allowable and what is not. For example, while the issuing of an advertisement specifically for wines would seem to be inadmissible, there would be no objection to a Bahá'í advertising agent's issuing an advertisement listing the prices of goods on sale at a supermarket even if wines and spirits are included on it. It is, thus, a matter of emphasis and wisdom. Primarily the House of Justice wishes the decision in such matters to be left to the judgement of the individual concerned, but where there is any doubt, or where the National Spiritual Assembly feels that the good name of the Faith is being injured, the Assembly should, of course, be consulted and could decide in specific instances.
"In view of the requirements of his conscience in light of Bahá'í law, a Bahá'í advertising agent might be well advised to include a clause in any contract he signs in which difficulties of this nature might arise, protecting his right to demur."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, December 20, 1977: Prohibition of Intoxicating Drinks, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1181)
The Right of the Non-Bahá'í Parent--The Serving of Champagne[edit]
"The future christening of the child should present no problem, for the Bahá'í parent should have no objection to the baptism of his child if the Catholic mother wishes it. Similarly, the use of champagne upon that occasion is a matter which she is free to undertake, but of course the Bahá'ís would not partake of alcoholic beverages."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly, December 7, 1977: Prohibition of Intoxicating Drinks, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1182)
