Taking Shahadah while Intoxicated
Asalam
I recently embraced Islam but not sure whether my Shahada is valid.
While I had been planning on reverting for some time, I was unable to muster up the strength to do so, kept putting it off and ended up doing so when I was intoxicated. Since then I have moved cities due to my job - the result being I know few other Muslims. My job means that its near-impossible for me to ever make the local masjid for Friday prayers and end up having to pray alone when I'm on my work break - no other brothers where I work.
As the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Islam, must I take my Shahada again?
Mathew1.
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AsSalaamu Alaikum Brother,
I didn't get your question well.
If you meant you took your Shahadah while you were intoxicated and out of your sense, then you must take your Shahadah again, because you need to be in your full sense of mind by the time you embrace Islam.
However, if you meant that you got intoxicated after you took your Shahadah, then the only thing you need to do is to repent to Allah, without taking a new Shahadah, since you took the Shahadah while you were in your full sense of mind.
Hope this helps, inshaAllah
Wa Alaikum as Salam Mathew,
The moment you accept Allah as your Only God Worthy of Worship and Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam as His Final messenger, you become a believer in one aspect. Affirming it by saying in words is obligatory, because belief (Iman) is defined as: "Saying of the tongue, affirmation of the heart and action of the limbs. It increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience"
Without belief, there is no Shahadah and shahadah is witness. No witness is accepted from an intoxicated individual. So, say your shahadah again and repent to Allah for having consumed intoxicants. Although all your previous sins will be erased with your shahadah if Allah Wills, you must work hard to keep away from the boundaries set by Allah, which are the things He Has Prohibited.
Concerning Jumu'ah, it depends on your state of travel. If you keep moving from one city to another and don't stay in one city for over 4 days (some scholars say it is up to 19 days) then Jumu'ah prayer in congregation is not obligatory for you due to your being a traveller. If you live in a place for more than the specified number of days (or plan to stay longer - in my opinion) then there is no excuse for missing Jumu'ah congregation.
This is what I have known from the scholars, May Allah Bless them, and you for choosing Islam.
Abu Abdul Bari
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
As-salamu Alaykum,
As far as I know, it is not required of you to proclaim the shahadah in front of witnesses in the mosque. You can say it by yourself at home. I'm not sure I understood your question correctly, but if your work situation is causing you to delay saying it again, you do not need to wait until you can make it to the mosque. You can say it right now, wherever you happen to be.
Walikumsalam.
congrats brother in Islam...
Shadah is not just a word. Shadah means recreation at all.