Shaykh Hamza Yusuf’s on his recent visit to our Mubarak City of Enlightenment witnessed, and subsequently wrote on his Sandala site about the lack of Adab in relation to smoking and the wastage of food in and around Haram.

So what is clear is that in the City of our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, a smoker’s right to harm himself and others trumps a non-smoker’s right to be free from harm and to breathe the blessed and healing Medinan air.

There are non smoking signs…however many are so faded they are no longer recognizable, the majority placed in high positions and in obscure corners. But as Shaykh Hamza alludes to, if the heart doesn’t contain the will to address this addiction, nor respect to refrain whilst in the sacred precincts of the Haramain then signs will be totally ineffective.

All of the above signs are positioned on the many ablution blocks surrounding the Masjid, but all of these actions are violated…this speck being guilty of taking excessive photos! Not only bicycles are ridden in the courtyard but also motor bikes. Children come with all manner of things that set them in motion, to the total disregard of who they may ride into…skateboards and their ilk, roller blades, roller shoes, scooters and all and anything with wheels to push each other around on…wheelchairs, buggies, toy cars, or none of these are available then they use folding chairs to push about and crash into others.

And during the peak times of Ramadhan and Hajj all grills will be festooned with luggage tied to them. So much for signs!

This is the Aswaq Al-Haram arcade…or rather what WAS the Aswaq Al-Haram…all traders have disappeared and the rooms that were part of a hotel complex on the first floor are empty…the plan to convert the entire group of buildings into government offices has begun. Smoking signs are attached at regular intervals…

…but…this photo was taken seconds after the above one and it was not until I was viewing them that I noticed the brother in the green top was smoking right below the sign…and this typifies the lack of regard for any signs!

Look at these alarming drug smuggling statistics that were published just the other day…and do not be naive thinking that these drugs do not enter Makkah or Madinah, as they do! Astaghfirullah.

In October 2006 I wrote

The smoking issue has seen interesting developments over the past few years here. A committee has been set up outlining plans aiming at making Madinah the first smoke free city in the world! Originally they banned smoking within the confines of the courtyard fence, and prohibited all outlets, including supermarkets within the first ring road, to sell any tobacco related products. Billboards were erected on some of the major hotels discouraging smoking, as well as many smaller no smoking signs placed all around the Haram fence. The incidence of smoking within the first ring road is certainly less than a few years ago.

Then in the December Arab News reported ‘Anti Smoking Drive Takes to Madinah’

The Kingdom will take its anti-smoking drive to Madinah this year during the Haj season, according to a senior official in the Ministry of Health.

“For the past three years, we have been successfully carrying out an anti-smoking campaign in the holy city of Makkah and this year we are taking it to Madinah where pilgrims go to visit the Prophet’s Mosque,” Abdulaziz Al-Hudaithi from the ministry’s anti-smoking unit explained.

May 2007 the same old refrain ‘No Tobacco Program Begins Today’, committees formed, but no discernible changes in attitudes or a decrease in the smokers who form a veritable barrier of smoke and stink the minute they walk out of the Haram gates.

We have chosen Madinah for our launch to give a spiritual emphasis to the Kingdom wide program. Under this program, we hope to target students, men and women of all age groups,” he noted.
He added that the ministry is particular that Madinah should be maintained as a showcase for a smoke-free environment for the benefit of the pilgrims that flock there. A similar policy is being encouraged in Makkah as well.
The ministry has imposed a total ban on the sale of tobacco within the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah,” said Al-Bideihi. There are eight anti-smoking clinics in Madinah to help smokers give up their habit.

November 2010 ‘Holy Cities to be Tobacco Free’

It is estimated that in the Kingdom 35 to 40 percent of people above the age of 15 smoke. Around 24 percent of male students between the ages of 13 to 15 years smoke, while eight percent of female students smoke. The Kingdom joined the anti-tobacco agreement in May 2005. Saudi Arabia ranks fourth among world countries in tobacco imports and consumption. More than 15 billion cigarettes, worth $168 million, are smoked by Saudis each year, according to figures issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Health Ministers Council.

So why not restrict, nay HALT, the import of tobacco…and confiscate supplies brought in by pilgrims…harsh action for a severe problem?

With Ramadhan soon upon us, closely followed by Hajj the annual articles addressing this issue will more than likely appear. Insha’Allah make efforts in your Du’a for those who are sufferers of addiction to take positive steps to eradicate the habit. May we despise the action but not the brother or sister, supporting their efforts to quit and may the Haramain to be cleansed of all actions that serve no benefit to the wayfarer to Allah Ta’ala’s Garden. Ameen.

If the Prophet’s sunnah in not practiced in his own city, where the beloved rests awaiting the day of judgment, tell me, where then will it be practiced?

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.