The Bangsamoro Darul Ifta’ (BDI), the highest Islamic advisory and juridical body in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), has officially declared smoking, vaping, and the use of electronic cigarettes as haram (forbidden) in Islam under a recently issued fatwa.
According to the BDI, the ruling was the result of extensive research and consultation among Islamic scholars (ulama) who examined both Islamic principles and scientific evidence showing the harmful effects of tobacco and related products on human health. The BDI said these substances fall under al-khabā’ith—things considered impure and harmful—thus rendering them haram.
The institution likewise released a separate fatwa prohibiting the use of Tumbak or betel chewing, a mixture of tobacco, betel nut, betel leaf, and lime that is common in some Bangsamoro communities. The decision came following an inquiry by Sheikh Murshid Sanu-uk Abdulkadir, the Bangsamoro Alim of Basilan Province.
In its study, the BDI found that Tumbak causes serious health problems, leads to wasteful spending, and creates public inconvenience due to its foul odor and unhygienic effects. The fatwa cites evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah forbidding self-harm, extravagance, and actions that bring harm to others.
The BDI underscored that any substance proven to cause physical, moral, or social harm is prohibited under Shari’ah. It called on all members of the Muslim Ummah in the Bangsamoro region to abstain from smoking, vaping, and betel chewing as a manifestation of faith and obedience to Islamic teachings on the preservation of health, life, and cleanliness.
These fatwas are part of the ongoing campaign of the Bangsamoro government and faith leaders to protect public health and promote moral responsibility within the community.