Adhan and prayer while intoxicated

Question

A Muslim is in the habit of drinking alcohol, but he does not drink so much that he becomes intoxicated: he remains in full possession of his senses — to the extent that if someone talks with him, he cannot tell that he has been drinking. When the time of prayer comes, he performs wudu properly and offers the prayer, and he often also calls the adhan in the mosque. Kindly write whether a Muslim may prevent such a person who has been drinking from praying in that state or not.

Answer

Drinking alcohol is haram. However, if it does not intoxicate him and his senses remain sound, then in that state such a person should not be prevented from praying, so long as he performs wudu properly and offers the prayer and does nothing that is contrary to the reverence due to the mosque and the reverence due to the prayer.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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