The debate on whether or not vaping is haram has been ongoing for some years, and now that vaping is becoming more and more popular, more people are asking ‘is vaping haram?’ Different Islam organisations and philosophers have had different opinions over the years. We will look at some of those opinions within this blog post. The general consensus is that vaping with nicotine e-liquids is haram, and even nicotine-free products should generally be avoided. Let’s look deeper into the issue.
Is Vaping Haram in Islam?
Generally, vaping is considered haram, as it can be harmful to a person’s health. Whilst it is 95% less harmful than smoking a cigarette (find out more in our blog post ‘Is Vaping Safe? Let’s Look at the Facts’) it is not completely risk-free and it can be addictive due to the nicotine concentration.
So under the guidance of Allah “There should be neither harming (darar) nor reciprocating harm (dirar)”, which means that you should cause no harm to yourself or others, it makes vaping haram. Firstly, it harms the vaper with the nicotine and other potentially harmful substances, but those around you if the smell of the vape is not pleasant or it is overwhelming.
Muhammadiyah is the second biggest Muslim organisation in Indonesia, and they have stated that e-cigarettes are any type of vaping is haram, stating that “Smoking electronic cigarettes is haram, just like smoking conventional cigarettes, because it is categorized as a form of consumption that can damage or endanger.”
Nicotine-Free Vaping
However, if you use a nicotine-free vape, and the e-liquid does not contain other harmful chemicals, then this can be considered halal yet scholars still recommend that you avoid it if you are strict about your religious beliefs and practices. Nicotine is viewed as a harmful substance inside of vapes, so eliminating it makes the vape safer.
CBD E-Liquids
CBD and THC and found in Cannabis plants. THC is the substance that makes you feel ‘high’, whereas CBD does not make you feel high and has other benefits and effects. So, it is halal to vape CBD e-liquid as long as there are absolutely no traces of THC in the e-liquid.
Can You Vape During Ramadan?
In short, vaping breaks your fasting, as the vapour goes into your stomach when you inhale it through your mouth. So you should not vape during Ramadan.
What Would Make An E-Liquid Halal?
An e-liquid would be considered halal if…
- No contents of nicotine
- No traces of pork-derived products
- No alcohol in the product
- No THC in the e-liquid
Using Vapes To Quit Smoking
Generally, it is considered acceptable to use vapes to quit smoking if all other routes have failed, as it is less harmful than smoking and the end goal must be the stop using nicotine products altogether. Between smoking and vaping, vaping is seen as the lesser of the two evils.
If you are considering quitting smoking, then you might want to check out our blog post ‘A Complete Guide to Switching From Cigarettes to Vapes’ for more information and guidance.
