Praise be to Allaah.

It is a great thing to learn that you are thinking of embracing Islam, although you live in a country where drugs are rife and are not following any religion at present. We were amazed and impressed to know that a man living in such circumstances has reached the point where he wants to become Muslim, but Allaah is able to do all things, and He guides whom He wills to the Straight Path. Perhaps the Divine care has been preparing you to embrace the true religion in spite of the intense darkness, kufr (disbelief) and drug-ridden atmosphere that surround you. The unbelieving man is dead at heart even though his body is alive, but when Allaah guides him to the light of Islam, his heart awakens and he sees a whole new meaning to life as he starts to follow the guidance of his Lord. Allaah says in His Holy Book (interpretation of the meaning): “Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and faith) and set for him a Light (belief) whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out?…” [al-An’aam 6:122]. So come to true life, and follow the Light which Allaah has revealed, and you will find that which will delight you and bring you peace of mind, when you worship Allaah.

As regards the issue of drugs, no doubt you would expect this great religion to forbid everything that is harmful and to permit everything that is beneficial, and not to allow man to lose his mind and go crazy, doing all kinds of foolish things without any awareness and destroying his body. This is what happens when people take drugs and prevent themselves from thinking about or worshipping Allaah. This poison opens the door to hostile aggression, and destroys religion, lives, minds, honour and wealth. And so no wise person can doubt that drugs are totally forbidden.