By Sajid Iqbal & Irfan Khan

Jamal: Assallamu Allaikum Ali . How are you bro?

Ali Wannabe: Yo Wagowaan Jam. Not seen you's in bare time?

Jamal: Last time I saw you was in school. What have you been up to ?

Ali Wannabe: ME, I’m a businessman!

Jamal: Mashallah bro that’s good to hear. So what’s your business?

Ali Wannabe: I’m in the entertainment business. I chill people out.

Jamal: What do you mean bro?

Ali Wannabe: C‘mon Jam. You knows what me is chatting about. I'm a bad boy like scarface “Say ello to my little friend” Coke,Weed, blow, skunk, smack…I import and export … ya catch my drift?

Jamal: Astagfirulla! Oh my God that’s haram. What you doing messing around with that Ali?

Ali Wannabe: What you chatting about man? I is smoking the herb not eating a pig!

Jamal:Bro, drugs whether you smoke or sell them are just haram as alcohol or eating pork!

Ali Wannabe: Nahhhh! I chatted to me boyz about this man and they said only alcohol is bad cos its in da Quran and weed is alright cos it’s only a chill innit!

Jamal: No bro you got it wrong. Your understanding of halal and haram is a bit dodgy.

Ali Wannabe: What do you mean by halal and haram? So do I need to put a halal sign on my tenner bags now?

Jamal: Let me tell you about halal and haram bro

Ali Wannabe: If you must Jam, but make it quick coz me is gotta make me dollars innit.

Jamal:Halal is that which is allowed according to Islamic law. Basically they are rules and regulations from the Quran and the teachings the Prophet (saw). e.g. From the food you eat, to your clothes, to the way you get married, to the kind of business you do etc. It has to be according to teachings of Quran and Sunnah..

Haram my friend is that which is totally not allowed according to Islamic law. So whatever the Quran and the Sunnah have told us not to do e.g. drinking alcohol, sex before marriage, gold for men, murder, stealing, etc.

Ali Wannabe: Raas man! Me thought halal and haram was just the food you eat and that.

Jamal: Halal and haram is to do with each and every aspect of life. Bro, in terms of the weed you mentioned. Let me tell you what Islam says: The Prophet said: 'Every intoxicant is unlawful. Allah has promised the one who drinks or uses intoxicating drugs that he will make him drink from the sweat or the pus (of impurities) of the inmates of Hell.' (Muslim) And as you know weed stays in the blood for 40 days, so your prayers will not be accepted.

Ali Wannabe: Do One! I is gonna puke up man! You trying to tell me that smoking weed is like having some booze and eating a pig?

Jamal: Yes my brother! Smoking weed, drinking alcohol, eating pig, sex before marriage are all the same because they are all haram!

Ali Wannabe: Since you messed up my buzz anyways tell me what does Islam say about Alcohol? Me and the boyz go out clubbing, get mashed, have a spliff, pull a bird and have a top laugh- so what’s wrong with that? Don’t tell me having a laugh is haram and that?

Jamal:OK Ali, let me tell you about alcohol. The Prophet Muhammad(saw) said:

"God’s curse falls on a group of people who deal with alcohol. The one who makes it, the one for whom it has been made, the one who drinks it, the one who transports it, the one to whom it has been brought, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who utilises money from it, the one who buys it and the one who buys it for someone else." (Muslim)

The Prophet also said:

"Whosoever drinks alcohol, Allah will not accept his prayer for 40 days. If he seeks repentance Allah will forgive him." (Tirmidhi)

Ali Wannabe: Damn! Never thought of it like that…wots with the curse ting, if Allah’s curse is on those who sell it how come there is lots of guys sellin' alcohol in their shops and they is loaded……. Not a bad curse if u ask me?

Jamal: They have success and a cushy life in this world at tops that’s 80-90 years but in the hereafter which is forever they will be punished so badly it’s unbelievable! Those who follow Allah’s command will have success and unbelievable happiness in the hereafter. So NO Ali it’s not worth selling haram!

Ali Wannabe: Yeah but u said if they do tauba they will be forgiven, me and the boys always do tauba after a bottle, then we do it again after anotha bottle…

Jamal: This aint no joke bro, you must ask for forgiveness with 1) a true heart, 2) feel bad about your sin and 3) not do it again. Who you trying to kid, Allah knows and can see everything. The Prophet said:

"Somebody who continuously seeks forgiveness from Allah (swt) He will create a way out of every difficulty, a relief from all anxieties and He will supply him provisions from sources which one cannot conceive."

Ali Wannabe: OK ok chill out man I'm just chattin.

Jamal: Since I’m on a roll let me tell you about sex before marriage or as you would say ‘pulling a bird'. Sex before marriage (fornication) is haram and in the Hereafter, the punishment is severe.

The Prophet (s.a.w) saw adulterers, men and women, in a baking oven in Hellfire [Bukhari] Never forget the words of the Prophet(saw)that 'when a man and a woman are alone in a room or a place then the third person is Shaytaan'.

One reason why you should make sure you don’t even think of 'pulling a bird' is because the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said that ‘among the seven persons whom Allah will shade in His Shade on the Day (of Judgement) when there is no shade except His Shade, is a man who is tempted by a beautiful woman and refuses to respond for fear of Allah.’ [Bukhari and Muslim].

Ali Wannabe: Shut up Jam, you is scaring me now, refuse a fit gal? I ain’t no batty boy that’s gotta be hard to do?

Jamal:Well Ali you should be scared. Bro wake up! You need to open your eyes and learn about your Islam and start living like a Muslim before it’s too late!

Ali Wannabe: What ya mean ‘too late’?

Jamal: You need to sort yourself out before you die and end up in hell for your sins.

Ali Wannabe: But I’m a Muslim so I ain’t going to hell innit!

Jamal: No you got that one wrong as well. You will still get punished for your sins. So you need to do good deeds now, sort your life out and turn to Allah(swt).

Ali Wannabe: I know..I know….I gotta sort me self out and that..

Jamal: Don’t get too upset bro. By being a good Muslim it doesn’t mean you can’t still have a laugh and enjoy yourself. You can have great fun but at the same time you have a peace of mind, please your Lord, and have a good life here and in the hereafter my friend.

Ali Wannabe: I know you is right Jam. I is gonna chat with me boyz and sort summat out.

Jamal: Inshallah bro. If you really want to sort yourself out then sort your company out, grab hold of some decent brothers who know the difference between halal and haram. It’s good friends that will make you do good things and it’s dodgy mates who will mess you up and lead you to the Hell fire! Take it easy and I’ll see you around .My duaas are with you Ali. Salaam

Ali Wannabe: Yeah … in a bit…