Summary of the article:
The article contrasts the failure of America’s prohibition experiment with the success of Islam’s prohibition of alcohol in order to demonstrate the superiority of divine law over human law. It begins by describing how the United States spent enormous wealth, propaganda, legislation, policing, and social effort to ban alcohol, yet prohibition ultimately failed because public desire overpowered law, resulting in greater crime, corruption, illegal trade, health crises, and disrespect for authority. The article then shifts to early Islamic Arabia, a society deeply attached to alcohol, and explains how the Qur’an prohibited wine gradually through revelation until Muslims abandoned it immediately and voluntarily upon the final command. From this comparison, Maulana Maududi derives three central conclusions: first, human laws are unstable because they depend on changing public opinion and desires, whereas divine law provides permanent moral standards; second, secular systems can only legislate after securing public approval, while Islam first builds faith in Allah and His Messenger , peace and blessing be upon him, , making obedience to divine law internally accepted; and third, intellect, science, and statistics alone cannot overcome human desires—only īmān (faith) can create the moral discipline necessary for true social reform.
Section 1: America's Failed Experiment with Prohibition
Last month, at the beginning of December 1933, the formal repeal of America's Prohibition Law was announced, and after nearly fourteen years the inhabitants of the New World once again crossed from the boundaries of "dryness" into those of "wetness." The elevation of Mr. Roosevelt to the presidency of the American Republic was, in effect, a declaration of the victory of wetness over dryness. After this, in April 1933, a law was first passed permitting alcoholic beverages containing 3.2% alcohol, and then only a few months later the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States itself was repealed—the amendment under which the buying, selling, importing, exporting, manufacturing, and distribution of alcohol had been declared unlawful within the territories of the United States.
This was the greatest experiment in reforming morality and society through legislation, an experiment the like of which cannot be found in world history. For many years before the Eighteenth Amendment, the Anti-Saloon League had attempted through journals, newspapers, speeches, pictures, magic lanterns, cinema, and many other methods to impress upon the minds of Americans the harms of alcohol, and in this propaganda it spent money like water. It has been estimated that from the beginning of the movement until 1925, sixty-five million dollars were spent on publicity alone, and the literature published against alcohol amounted to nearly nine billion pages.
Apart from this, the burden of the expenses incurred in enforcing Prohibition during the past fourteen years, which the American nation had to bear, is said to have totaled 450 million pounds. Statistics published recently by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the period from January 1920 to October 1933 show that in the enforcement of this law, two hundred people were killed, 534,335 were imprisoned, fines amounting to sixteen million pounds were imposed, and properties worth 440 million pounds were confiscated.
These horrifying losses of life and wealth were endured solely to make the "most civilized" nation of the twentieth century—whose sun of knowledge was supposedly shining at its zenith—aware of the innumerable spiritual, moral, physical, and financial harms of the "mother of evils" (alcohol). Yet after years of continuous effort, in which the power of the government itself was involved, all attempts failed before the determination of the American people to continue drinking, and "the greatest reformative struggle in world history" ultimately proved fruitless.
The failure of alcohol prohibition and the repeal of the law did not occur because the harms of alcohol, against which propaganda and legislation had been directed, had suddenly turned into benefits, nor because some new scientific discovery had disproven earlier conclusions. On the contrary, based upon broader and more extensive experiences than before, it was now accepted even more firmly that prostitution, adultery, homosexuality, theft, gambling, murder, bloodshed, and similar moral evils were among the closest relatives of this "mother of evils," and that alcohol played a major role in the destruction of the morals, health, economy, and society of Western nations.
Yet despite all this, what compelled the American government to repeal its law and make lawful what had been forbidden was simply this: the overwhelming majority of the American nation refused, by any means, to give up alcohol. The very public whose votes had declared alcohol unlawful fourteen years earlier now began insisting that it be made lawful again.
As far as we know, even the strongest supporters of alcohol never denied its harms, nor did opponents of Prohibition ever present any list of benefits of alcohol that could weigh against its evils. When the Eighteenth Amendment was proposed in the American Congress with public support, every possible comparison had already been made between "dryness" and "wetness," and Congress approved the amendment only after taking all these harms and corruptions into account. Forty-six states ratified the amendment. The House of Representatives and the Senate passed the Volstead Act in accordance with it. All of this happened with the consent of the American nation.
As long as the issue of prohibition remained confined to paper and speeches, the nation supported it happily. But as soon as prohibition entered the realm of actual implementation, the entire American nation changed color. After spending only the first night separated from the "mother of evils," the most civilized, knowledgeable, rational, truth-loving, and progressive nation in the world went mad, and in the frenzy of its obsession it began acting in such a way that one might suspect it would truly smash its own head like the imaginary lovers described in Eastern poetry.
As soon as licensed saloons were closed, hundreds of thousands of secret drinking places—"speakeasies" and "blind pigs"—sprang up throughout the country. In these places, astonishing methods were adopted for drinking, selling, buying, and serving alcohol while escaping the grasp of the law. It came to be regarded as a special act of kindness for one person to tell a friend or relative about a hidden saloon and its secret password.
Previously, the government had at least been able to monitor licensed saloons, the kinds of liquor sold there, and the conditions of those who frequented them. But now these dens of vice lay entirely beyond government oversight. Their number became many times greater than that of the licensed saloons that had existed before prohibition. The worst kinds of alcohol, extremely harmful to health, were sold there. The attendance of underage boys and girls increased greatly, causing widespread alarm among thoughtful Americans because of its dreadful consequences.
The price of alcohol rose many times higher than before. Selling liquor became an enormously profitable profession, and hundreds of thousands entered this business. In addition to hidden saloons, countless roaming liquor sellers—bootleggers—appeared, who were in effect mobile taverns. These people carried alcohol into schools, offices, hotels, recreation centers, and even private homes, selling liquor and creating new customers wherever they went.
Even the lowest estimate suggests that after prohibition, the number of alcohol sellers in America became ten times greater than before prohibition. The trade spread from cities into villages and rural areas. Secret distilleries appeared in every town. Before prohibition there had been only four hundred licensed distilleries in America. Within seven years after prohibition, 79,437 distillers were arrested and 93,831 stills were confiscated—yet alcohol trafficking continued unabated.
A former commissioner of the Prohibition Department stated that the authorities had managed to catch only one-tenth of all the distilleries and stills in operation. Likewise, the quantity of alcohol consumed increased extraordinarily. It was estimated that during prohibition Americans were drinking 200 million gallons of alcohol every year—far more than before prohibition.
The liquor being consumed in such massive quantities was itself of the most harmful and poisonous nature. Physicians stated:
"It would be more accurate to call this substance poison rather than liquor. The moment it passes down the throat, its poisonous effects begin acting upon the stomach and brain, and the nerves remain affected for two days. Under its influence a person does not become cheerful or well-behaved; rather, his disposition inclines toward violence, disorder, and criminal behavior."
The widespread consumption of such liquor devastated the physical health of Americans. For example, statistics from New York City show that before prohibition, in 1918, the number of people falling ill from alcohol was 3,741 and the number of deaths was 252. By 1926 the number of illnesses had reached eleven thousand and deaths had risen to seven and a half thousand. Beyond these were countless others indirectly destroyed or ruined by alcohol's effects.
Crime also increased enormously, especially among children and youth. American judges stated:
"There is no precedent in our country's history for such vast numbers of children being arrested in a state of intoxication."
When juvenile crime exceeded all limits, investigations proved that from 1920 onward youth drunkenness and disorderly behavior had been increasing year by year, in some cities by as much as 200 percent within eight years. In 1933 Colonel Moss, director of the National Crime Council, declared that one out of every three Americans was then involved in criminal activity, and murders had increased by 350 percent.
Thus, within fourteen years the results of alcohol prohibition in America can be summarized as follows:
- Respect for law disappeared from people's hearts, and the disease of lawbreaking spread throughout every level of society.
- The main purpose of prohibition was not achieved; rather, alcohol began to be consumed more heavily after being forbidden than when it had been lawful.
- Both government and public suffered enormous financial losses.
- Increased disease, destruction of health, rising death rates, corruption of public morality, the spread of vice among all social classes—especially among the younger generation—and a shocking increase in crime were the social and moral fruits of this law.
These were the results in the country regarded as the most civilized nation of the twentieth century, whose people were highly educated, enlightened by knowledge and wisdom, and fully capable of understanding their own interests. These results appeared despite the fact that millions had been spent and billions of pages printed to educate the nation about alcohol's harms. They appeared despite the fact that the majority of Americans had initially accepted the need for prohibition and the law had been passed with their consent. They appeared despite the fact that the mighty American state, with the finest organization of the twentieth century, had struggled for fourteen complete years to eradicate alcohol consumption and trade.
As long as these disastrous consequences had not yet appeared, both government and people agreed that alcohol should remain forbidden. But once it became clear that the nation simply would not abandon alcohol, and that forcing prohibition produced even worse results, the same majority agreed once again to make alcohol lawful.
Section 2: Islam's Prohibition — A Contrast from Thirteen Centuries Prior
Now compare this with the condition of a land thirteen and a half centuries ago. That land was among the darkest regions of the darkest age. Its inhabitants were unlettered. Knowledge and arts scarcely existed. Perhaps only one person in ten thousand could read or write, and even such people would today be regarded as poorly educated. Modern institutions and organizational systems were entirely absent. Government itself was in its infancy.
And the people? They were passionately devoted to alcohol. Their language contained nearly 250 words for wine—something perhaps unmatched in any language of the world. Their poetry itself demonstrates that alcohol was woven into their very nature and considered an essential part of life.
In this setting, the issue of alcohol was presented, and the Messenger of Allah , peace and blessing be upon him, was asked what the Sharī'ah ruled regarding it. He replied with Allah's words:
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَآ إِثْمٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ وَمَنَٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَآ أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:219)
"They ask you concerning wine and gambling. Say: In them is great sin and some benefit for people, but their sin is greater than their benefit."
This was not yet a prohibition, but simply an explanation of alcohol's reality—that it contained both benefit and harm, though its harm outweighed its benefit. The effect of this teaching was that a group of people immediately abandoned drinking, though the majority still continued.
Later, the ruling was asked about again because some people would pray while intoxicated and commit mistakes. Then the Messenger , peace and blessing be upon him, conveyed this command:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا۟ مَا تَقُولُونَ
(Surah An-Nisāʾ 4:43)
"O believers! Do not approach prayer while intoxicated until you know what you are saying."
After hearing this, people merely adjusted their drinking times so that intoxication would not interfere with prayer. But alcohol's fundamental harms still remained—violence, corruption, and bloodshed continued. Therefore a clear and decisive ruling was requested.
Then Allah revealed:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْخَمْرُ وَٱلْمَيْسِرُ وَٱلْأَنصَابُ وَٱلْأَزْلَٰمُ رِجْسٌۭ مِّنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ فَٱجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ فِى ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهِ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَٱحْذَرُوا۟ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
(Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:90–92)
"O believers! Wine, gambling, idols, and divining arrows are filth from the work of Satan, so avoid them that you may succeed. Satan only desires to create enmity and hatred among you through wine and gambling and to turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then desist? Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and beware. But if you turn away, then know that upon Our Messenger is only clear conveyance."
The moment this command was announced, those same lovers of wine who adored alcohol became instantly repelled by it. As soon as the proclamation of prohibition was heard, wine jars were smashed and streams of alcohol flowed through the streets of Madinah.
In one gathering, ten or eleven Companions were drinking when the caller of the Messenger , peace and blessing be upon him, announced that alcohol had been forbidden. Even in that intoxicated state, they immediately stopped drinking and smashed the vessels.
Another man was raising a cup to his lips when someone recited the verse of prohibition. Instantly the cup moved away from his mouth, and not a single drop entered his throat thereafter.
After that, anyone who drank alcohol was punished. Eventually the prescribed punishment became eighty lashes. The result was that drunkenness disappeared from Arabia. Wherever Islam spread, nations themselves became "dry" without coercion. Even today, despite the weakness of Islamic influence, there remain millions of Muslims who abstain from alcohol entirely without any prohibition law or penal system.
And among Muslims who do drink, they still consider it sinful, feel remorse in their hearts, and often repent on their own.
Section 3: The Verdict of Experience — What the Two Experiments Prove:
In the kingdom of reason and wisdom, the final judgment belongs to experience and observation. This testimony can never be denied. Before you now stand two experiments: one is the experiment of America, and the other is the experiment of Islam. The difference between them is perfectly clear. It is your task to compare them and learn from them.
In America, years of propaganda were carried out against alcohol. Millions were spent. Medicine, statistics, rational argumentation, and visual demonstrations all proved alcohol's physical, moral, and economic harms beyond denial. Then the nation's highest representative body passed prohibition with majority support, and the government used all its power to suppress alcohol production and consumption. Yet the nation refused to abandon it, and after only fourteen or fifteen years the law itself was forced to legalize again what it had forbidden.
By contrast, Islam carried out no propaganda campaign whatsoever. Not a penny was spent on publicity. No Anti-Saloon League was formed. The Messenger of Allah , peace and blessing be upon him, merely declared: "Allah has forbidden alcohol for you." The instant those words emerged from his blessed tongue, the entire nation abandoned alcohol—a nation even more passionately devoted to wine than America, though incomparable to it in formal education and worldly learning.
This prohibition was not dependent on police power, surveillance, or penal systems. Even without coercive authority, Muslims would abstain. And this prohibition is not something that can ever be reversed. Even if every Muslim in the world unanimously voted in favor of alcohol, it could never become lawful.
Section 4: Three Principles — Divine Law, Faith, and the Limits of Reason:
If you reflect upon the causes of this immense difference, several principles become clear—not merely regarding alcohol, but regarding all matters of law and morality.
The first principle is that there is a fundamental difference between Islam and worldly legal systems. Secular laws depend entirely upon human opinion. Therefore, in every principle and every detail, they are compelled to refer back to public or elite opinion. But human opinion is constantly influenced by desires, changing circumstances, and fluctuating intellectual conclusions. As opinions change, standards of right and wrong, lawful and unlawful, also change. Consequently, law itself must continually change.
Thus no permanent moral standard can ever be established. Human instability governs law, and unstable law governs human life.
Islam, however, grounds law and morality primarily in Allah and His Messenger , peace and blessing be upon him, . Human opinion has no authority to alter divine principles. Therefore Islam possesses a stable and permanent moral standard. What Allah has declared unlawful can never become lawful tomorrow. What He has made lawful remains lawful until the Day of Judgment.
Allah says:
يُثَبِّتُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلْقَوْلِ ٱلثَّابِتِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
(Surah Ibrahim 14:27)
"Allah grants firmness to those who believe through the firm word in the life of this world and in the Hereafter, and Allah lets the wrongdoers go astray."
A second important principle is this: worldly systems cannot reform society unless public opinion first consents. Their laws depend entirely upon public approval. But Islam first calls people to faith in Allah, His Messenger , peace and blessing be upon him, , and His Book. Accepting faith is voluntary. But once faith is accepted, obedience becomes binding. Thereafter divine law applies regardless of personal likes or dislikes.
That is why the thing which America failed to achieve despite billions of dollars, endless propaganda, and immense governmental effort was accomplished in the Islamic world through a single proclamation from the Messenger of Allah , peace and blessing be upon him, .
The third lesson is that no human society—however advanced in knowledge and science—can escape the domination of desire unless it possesses faith and obedience to divine law. Even if science, statistics, rational arguments, and practical experience all prove the harms of something, humanity will not abandon what its desires love.
This demonstrates that the creation of moral consciousness, the training of conscience, and the strengthening of the human being over his desires are beyond the power of philosophy, science, and intellect alone. This task can be accomplished only through faith.
(Tarjumaan al-Qurʾān, January 1934 CE)