What is Khamr in Islam

The drink prohibited in Islam is described as Khamr.  The word Khamr which is equivalent to the word liquor in English, is derived from the verb  khamara  which means “he covered, hid, or concealed.”  Since liquor shrouds the intellect of man, and renders it invalid for discriminating between right and wrong, it is, therefore, called khamr.  Khamr is differently explained as meaning what intoxicates, of the expressed juice or grapes, or the juice of grapes when it was effervesced and thrown up froth, and become freed therefrom, and still or it has a  common application to intoxicating expressed juice of anything, or any intoxicating thing that clouds or obscures the intellect.

            1.Another view is that khamr has been so termed due to the reason that it is put up in a place till it turns into wine.  Turning of a drink into wine implies the change of odour.  All these featuers appear in khamr.   

  Wine under the term khamr as defined by the Islamic Shari’ah implies all things which intoxicate.  In  Bukhari  and muslim  it is reported on the authority of Ibn’Umar (Allah be pleased with him) that Caliph ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him), in one of his Friday Sermons, defined khamr  as everything that dull the faculty of thinking.

            Ibn’Umar (Allah be pleased with him) reported that ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) delivered Sermon upon the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said:

            “O mankind! The prohibition of khamr(wine) has been revealed and that is made of five things: Grapes, dates, wheat, barley and honey : and khamr  what covers intellect.” (Bukhari and Muslim)   

The Arabs describe numerous names and attributes of khamr (wine).  Some important names and attributes are  mentioned here as under: (1)               Al-Khamr:  The word used in the Holy Qur’an for wine or anything that intoxicates. (2)               Al-Khandaris: Old wine prepared of wheat. (3)               Al-Rahiq: Strong and pure wine. (4)               Al-sukr: intoxicating drink prepared from sweet grapes or fresh dates. (5)               Al-Humayya : Wine that provokes passion. (6)               Al-Qahwa: A kind of wine. (7)               Al-Sulafa: First juice of grapes.  It is a best kind of wine. (8)               Al-Mudama: A kind of wine. (9)               Al-Rahu: Wine that causes gladness and cheerfulness. (10)           Al-Sahba’u: The red liquor. (11)           Al-Nabidhu: A kind of wine made from dates and grapes. (12)           Al-Bit’: Strong wine made of honey and dates. (13)           Al-Kumait: Ruddy wine. (14)           Al-Sakurka:  A kind of wine. (15)           Al-Fadikh: A wine made of the juice of grapes; date-wine. (16)           Al-‘Uqar: Wine that stupefies. (17)           Al-Qarqaf: Wine, cold drink. (18)           Al-Zalla:  A kind of wine. (19)           Al-Isfant:  An aromatic wine. (20)           Al-Muzaffat: A kind of wine. (21)           Al-Safaqa: A kind of wine. (22)           Al-‘Atiq:  Old wine having bitter taste and strong intoxication. (23)           Al-Badhiq: A drink made form juice of grapes slightly boiled. (24)           Al-Tila’: Wine prepared from teckened juice of grapes. (25)           Al-musha’sha’a: A kind of wine. (26)           Al-Muqdiyya:  A delicious and fragrant drink. (27)           Al-Shamul: A fresh wine. (28)           Al-Mizr: Abyssinian beer: beverage made of millet, barley or grain. (29)           Al-Mustar: A kind of wine. (30)           Al-Mara’:  A kind of wine. (31)           Al-Qummahan: Literally: Scum over the surface of old wine. (32)           Al-Khurtum:  A kind of wine. (33)           Al-Quindid:  A kind of wine perfumed with musk. (34)           Al-Ja’atu: Beer. (35)           Al-Ithmu: A kind of wine. The holy Qur’an has made a mention of some of these kinds of wine: 1.  Al-Khamr: It is the most famous and common name of wine because drinking khamr brings about a      number of harms and troubles. 2.  Al-Sukr: Wine has been termed as sukr because it has the effect of intoxication. 3.  Al-Rahiq: It is a wine, clear, pure, and old.  This word has been used as a characteristic of the           wine    of Paradise in the following Qur’anic verse:          “ They are given therein (Paradise) to drink of a pure wine, sealed.” (83:25) The word Khamr has appeared six times in the Holy Qur’an: Once in subjective case in verse 5:90, twice in objective case in verses 12:36,41 and thrice in genetive case in verses 2:219,5:91 and 47:15.  The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has named wine as:            Ummul khaba’ith: The fountain head of evils.             Ummul fawahish: The origin of all sorts of atrocities.             Akbarul Kaba’ir: The most heinous of major sins.             Ra’su kulli khatia’: The head of all errors and lapses.             Miftahu kulli shar: The key to all evils and mischiefs.  The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has attributed these names to Khamr (wine) because it embodies all the above cha