MARAWI CITY (PIA) – Maranao religious leaders or Ulama convened a forum over the weekend and discussed the recent Fatwa on smoking cigarettes.

The Supreme Council of Darul Ifta of the Philippines recently released a Fatwa declaring tobacco or cigarette smoking “haram” or forbidden.

The Fatwa also prohibits the manufacturing and selling of tobacco or cigarette.

A fatwa is an Islamic ruling or a scholarly opinion on a matter of Islamic law issued by a recognized religious authority called “Mufti.”

Under the Islamic ruling, smoking cigarette is forbidden in the Sharia’h or Islamic Jurisprudence because of its being filthy, containing harmful chemicals.

“Almighty Allah has permitted only good things for His servants such as food, drinks and other lawful ones,” the ruling stated.

According to the Fatwa, smoking cigarette in all its form is prohibited because it does not belong to good things.

The Fatwa further stated that Muslims should not do something that causes destruction to their body and that smoking is a form of destruction.

Meanwhile, smoking within the premises of the Provincial Capitol of Zamboanga del Norte is now strictly prohibited.

Zamboanga del Norte Gov. Rolando E. Yebes has recently issued an order banning smoking within the premises of the Provincial Capitol and in all other offices under the provincial government outside the Capitol.

Provincial Administrator Rafael Cabanlit said the governor’s directive is in support of Memorandum Circular No. 17 issued in 2009 by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) urging all national and local government agencies to implement no smoking policy in government offices and buildings.

According to Cabanlit, this no smoking policy in government offices is designed to give the state workers a healthy workplace and to encourage the smokers to quit, too.

“Smoking poses health hazards not only to the smokers but also to those exposed to secondhand smoke,” Cabanlit stressed.

It was likewise proven from the Messenger of Allah that Almighty Allah forbids wasting money, and spending money in buying cigarette is wasting money.