Why wasn't alcohol haram right away in Islam? — credits

Why alcohol was not forbidden at the start of Islam: how the Qur'an spoke of belief first in Mecca, then weighed wine, fenced it from prayer and finally forbade it in Medina, and why, as A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) explained, it came in that order. A hand-made-style paper-collage animation, rendered live in your browser with plain JavaScript and canvas.

Sources for the story

Qur'an 16:67 (Meccan): "intoxicant and good provision", wine mentioned with no ruling; tafsir of al-Tabari, al-Razi, al-Baydawi on its reading
Qur'an 2:219: "their sin is greater than their benefit", the weighing; Qatada (Sunan Sa'id ibn Mansur), Ibn Kathir, al-Tabari, al-Qurtubi and al-Sa'di on its meaning
Qur'an 4:43: not approaching prayer while intoxicated
Qur'an 5:90-91: the final verses and "So will you not desist?"; Ibn Raslan, Sharh Abi Dawud, on the question carrying a command
Qur'an 5:93: no blame on believers for what they consumed before the ban
Sahih al-Bukhari 4993: A'isha on the order of revelation, "they would have said: We will never leave wine"; Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari 9/40, and al-'Ayni, 'Umdat al-Qari 20/22, on its meaning
Sahih al-Bukhari 4618: some drank on the morning of Uhud and were martyred, "before its prohibition"
Sahih al-Bukhari 3902: about thirteen years of revelation in Mecca
Sahih al-Bukhari 4709 and Sahih Muslim 168: the two cups on the Night Journey and al-fitra
Sahih Muslim 1578: "Allah is hinting about wine", the advice to sell it, and people pouring it into the road; Qadi 'Iyad, Ikmal al-Mu'lim 5/248-249
Sunan Abi Dawud 3670 (Sahih, al-Albani; graded weak by others): 'Umar's prayer for a clear answer, the caller before prayer, and "intahayna"
Sunan Abi Dawud 3671 (Sahih, al-Albani) and Jami' al-Tirmidhi 3026 (Hasan, Darussalam): the meal and prayer before 4:43
Ibn 'Abbas via 'Ali ibn Abi Talha (Abu 'Ubayd, al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh 1/249): drinking only after 'Isha or after Fajr
al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra 17403 (chain sahih per Ibn Hajar; hasan per al-A'zami): Ibn 'Abbas on two clans of the Ansar before 5:90
Sahih al-Bukhari 2464, 4616, 4617, 4620, 5580, 5600 and Sahih Muslim 1980: the day of the ban in Abu Talha's house, fadikh date wine, the caller, the jars poured out into the lanes
Ibn Hibban 4945 and Musnad Ahmad 13308 (sahih, al-Albani): the lanes almost blocked by the smell
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari 10/38, and al-Muhallab (Fath 5/112): why the wine ran in the lanes; Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Tamhid 1/482-483: acting on one trustworthy report
Sahih Muslim 1579a: the gift skin and "The One who forbade drinking it has forbidden selling it"
Sahih al-Bukhari 4619: 'Umar on the five sources of khamr and "khamr is whatever clouds the mind"; al-Nahhas (via al-'Ayni) on the root of khamr
Sahih Muslim 2003a: "Every intoxicant is khamr, and every intoxicant is forbidden"
Sahih al-Bukhari 6780: "Do not curse him"
al-Shatibi, al-Muwafaqat 2/148-149, and Tafsir al-Sa'di on 2:219: the rulings came one by one, from gentleness, mercy and wisdom
al-'Ayni, 'Umdat al-Qari 1/259, and Qur'an 5:3: the gradual path belonged to the years of revelation
'Amr ibn Kulthum's Mu'allaqa (al-Zawzani, Sharh al-Mu'allaqat al-Sab'); Ibn al-Anbari and al-Qurtubi (via al-Sabuni) on the wine trade and the seller's banner
On the year of the ban (after Uhud; scholars differ): al-Qurtubi, Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn 'Ashur, Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Hajar

Out of respect, the Prophet ﷺ is never depicted, and no person is shown.

Made with

Narration: Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS (voice “Algieba”), directed and edited for this film.
Illustrations: Google Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (backgrounds) and OpenAI GPT Image 2.5 (cut-outs), art-directed and reviewed frame by frame.
Typefaces (SIL Open Font License): Caveat Brush, Caveat, Patrick Hand, Aref Ruqaa.
Animation engine, sound design and mix: written for this series.

Sound

No music is used. All sound effects are CC0 unless noted.

amb_awning_cloth: #187364 "A flag flapping in the wind in the Mojave Desert" by felix.blume, CC0 1.0. Edits: 30-74 s, HPF 300 Hz (removes wind buffeting), LPF 7 kHz: cloth awnings in wind; 40 s seamless loop, -31 LUFS (peak-limited)
amb_dawn_birds_soft: #210091 "room small night" by Yuval, CC0 1.0; #331511 "5am_voegel_abudhabi_park.flac" by nikitralala, CC0 1.0. Edits: room hush 325-373 s (HPF 50, LPF 9 kHz) + birds 14-62 s (HPF 1.2 kHz, -12 dB under the hush; the source's later distant Athan at 2:40+ is not used); each looped, 45 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_desert_dusk_wind: #666175 "Wind in dry tall grass bulrush type, close recording with muffled air sometimes, gust of wind, far away tree, recorded in Arivaca Road desert in Arizona" by felix.blume, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 92.0-114.5 s; HPF 100 Hz; 20 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_desert_wind_gentle: Looping Gentle Wind Ambience on an Open Desert Plain.wav (Freesound) by dhallcomposer, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 2.0-38.0 s; highpass=f=50:poles=2; gentle dry wind on an open desert plain (Hijaz wadi, dusk); 30 s seamless loop, -24 LUFS; 48k/16-bit
amb_drink_run: #627070 "SAND POUR.wav" by nicoproson, CC0 1.0; synthesized pink-noise band (original, seeded) by Qaf (original synthesis), original, no licence needed. Edits: the drink leaving, a steady low matte run soaking into dry earth (never a glug or a splash): the pour's steady stretch 23.5-33.0 s, HPF 150 Hz / LPF 1.8 kHz, five copies at irregular offsets, blended 22/78 with a seeded pink-noise band 150 Hz-1.8 kHz with a slow 0.13/0.29 Hz wander; 21 s seamless loop, -24 LUFS (round 2: the creek layer and the pour's stop-and-surge were heard as glugging; built by work/audio_src/process_run3.py)
amb_harrah_noon_wind: #457159 "Desert binaural Wind.WAV" by Benbojangles, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 692.00-756.00 s (steadiest stretch); HPF 60 Hz + 130 Hz (removes traffic-like mic rumble); -26 LUFS, 2 s fade-in/3 s fade-out (not a seamless loop)
amb_jm_hollow_wind: #843069 "A light breeze, the rustle of reeds. The rustle of dry grass" by ReflektWave, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 12.0-36.0 s; HPF 120 Hz x2, spike limiter; 22 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_jm_lane_quiet: #653946 "Quiet breeze with bird singing softly, insect noises, a horse neighs far sometimes" by felix.blume, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 25.0-49.0 s (no horse/insect buzz in this window); HPF 150 Hz x2; 22 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_jm_palm_rustle: #423800 "Wind through Palm Trees.wav" by klangfabrik, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 8.0-30.5 s; HPF 100 Hz; 20 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_market_murmur: #640254 "geroezemoes.wav" by gecop, CC0 1.0. Edits: 10-44 s (no intelligible words: judged), HPF 180 Hz, LPF 1.2 kHz (distance); 32 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_night: #522299 "Crickets At Night - Raw sound" by Defelozedd94, CC0 1.0; #165526 "Wind singing in the mountain, some night cricket in background" by felix.blume, CC0 1.0. Edits: mixed 55/45 (RMS matched), 20 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_oasis_palms: #640526 "Dried_Banana_Leaves.wav" by gokalp_gonen, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 55.00-79.20 s (bird-free stretch); HPF 120 Hz; -26 LUFS, 1.5 s fade-in/2 s fade-out
amb_palm_orchard_breeze: #423800 "Wind through Palm Trees.wav" by klangfabrik, CC0 1.0; #517526 "dove calling with out other side noise" by idreesbari, CC0 1.0. Edits: palm wind src 4.0-78.5 s, HPF 120 Hz, LPF ~4.2 kHz, -3 dB high shelf, -4 dB at 560 Hz; 72 s seamless loop (2.5 s crossfade) with slow loop-periodic ±4 dB swells that darken in the lulls; 3 laughing-dove phrases (src 0.60-1.75, 6.15-7.60, 17.50-18.90 s; band-limited 250 Hz-3 kHz, short diffuse echo) placed at 11.0 / 34.5 / 55.0 s; -24 LUFS. Made for fasting-monday-thursday (Madinah palm orchard, late morning)
amb_palm_wind: #423800 "Wind through Palm Trees.wav" by klangfabrik, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 35-83 s; HPF 120 Hz (removes mic buffeting); 45 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_predawn_room: #210091 "room small night" by Yuval, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 270-323 s (clean stretch, no footsteps); HPF 50 Hz, LPF 9 kHz; 50 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_quiet_room_day: #837996 "windy roomtone ile callot" by bruno.auzet, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 190.0-216.0 s; HPF 40 Hz, LPF 14 kHz; 24 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
sfx_bead_roll: #425833 "rolling wood ball field recording" by Garuda1982, CC0 1.0. Edits: the timeline sound (the clay bead rolling on the ledge): 1.55-4.45 s (after the drop), pitched -3.4 st, HPF 70 Hz, LPF 2.5 kHz; peak -1 dBFS
sfx_camel_far: #675448 "S28-06 Camel moaning in distance.wav" by craigsmith, CC0 1.0. Edits: 17.0-21.6 s, HPF 100 Hz, LPF 1.5 kHz (removes the birds); peak -1 dBFS
sfx_card_cord: house `sfx_jm_leather_thump` (#435534) by vintage2005, CC0 1.0; house `sfx_paper_slide_2` (#444431) by MTJohnson, CC0 1.0. Edits: the chapter-card sound: the card drops on its cord (leather thump HPF 120 Hz, -4 dB) and lands flat on the wall 0.40 s later (paper slide); peak -1 dBFS. Round 2: the r1 cord (thread pull) read as a sniff
sfx_clay_knock: #513775 "putting coffee mug to table.wav" by lartti, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.70-1.15 s; HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_clay_press: house `sfx_stamp_thump_2` (#470710) by I.fekry, CC0 1.0; house `sfx_cloth_press` (#854340) by ponysparkleworld, CC0 1.0. Edits: the source-card sound (a soft clay press): stamp thump LPF 800 Hz + cloth press HPF 300 Hz at -3 dB (no pitch shift: pitched down it read as a water drop); peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_drop: #844390 "Cloth flaps" by Maraboop, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.02-0.72 s (soft double flap); HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_press: #854340 "smoothing apron - rustling fabric - handling canvas" by ponysparkleworld, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 8.97-9.50 s; HPF 60 Hz, LPF 18 kHz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_swish_1: #391448 "Shirt Whoosh 1.wav" by saturdaysoundguy, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 6.70-7.40 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -72); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_swish_2: #391448 "Shirt Whoosh 1.wav" by saturdaysoundguy, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 9.60-10.30 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -72); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_swish_3: #320144 "Blanket Movement 6" by OwlStorm, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.16 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_dream_shimmer_short: synthesized for this series: Same engine, 1.6 s dense sparkle sting.
sfx_jar_tok: house `sfx_clay_knock` (#513775) by lartti, CC0 1.0; house `sfx_stamp_thump_2` (#470710) by I.fekry, CC0 1.0; house `sfx_jm_stone_slide` (#558254) by msavioti, CC0 1.0. Edits: the jar's heavy clay set-down: knock LPF 3.5 kHz (no pitch shift: pitched down it read as a bottle pouring) + stamp thump LPF 900 Hz at -8 dB for weight + dry grit 0-0.45 s HPF 1.5 kHz / LPF 7 kHz at -20 dB from +0.08 s; peak -1 dBFS
sfx_jm_basket: #288943 "suitcase-down-4.aif" (wicker case set down) by toefur, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-0.85 s; HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_jm_leather_thump: #435534 "Leather bag being dropped and picked up" by vintage2005, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.70-1.60 s (first drop; spoken slate at 13 s not used); HPF 40 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_jm_stone_slide: #558254 "Heavy Stone Push" by msavioti, CC0 1.0. Edits: full 0.00-1.13 s; HPF 40 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_mat_unroll: #202107 "Unrolling Scroll.wav" by spookymodem, CC0 1.0; #770112 "Plants or ferns - Manipulation & Hit" by Vrymaa, CC0 1.0. Edits: the map sound (a dry palm-leaf mat unrolled): scroll 0.5-3.2 s HPF 90 Hz + dry fibre crackle 7.5-10.2 s (HPF 200 Hz, LPF 7 kHz, -5 dB) + landing 11.92-12.45 s (-6 dB at +2.55 s); peak -1 dBFS
sfx_page_turn_1: #136778 "Page Turn" by davidbain, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.98 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_page_turn_2: #397548 "Page Turn 01" by LilMati, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-0.50 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_palm_stalk_rasp: #403653 "Wood_Sliding_Various-Objects.wav" by LamaMakesMusic, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 10.20-11.95 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_1: #181774 "rustling paper.wav" by keweldog, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.30-2.55 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_2: #181774 "rustling paper.wav" by keweldog, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 2.50-4.45 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_3: #449127 "Rustling Paper" by HarpyHarpHarp, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 1.45-2.15 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_4: #449127 "Rustling Paper" by HarpyHarpHarp, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 5.70-6.41 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_5: #211246 "PageRustle" by Tomoyo Ichijouji, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.10-1.90 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_slide_1: #464302 "PaperSlide.wav" by eyesonlegs, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.64 s; HPF 60 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -55); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_slide_2: #444431 "Sliding Envelope.wav" by MTJohnson, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.20-1.10 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -3 dBFS
sfx_paper_tear_1: #272028 "Ripping Paper" by aldenroth2, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.96 s; HPF 60 Hz,FFT denoise 8 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_tear_2: #342541 "Fast Paper Rip" by sgrowe, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-0.89 s; HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_tear_3: #170311 "Tearing paper" by ludde44, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.20-1.52 s; HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_pencil_scribble_1: #257518 "Scribble_short.wav" by waldram, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.27 s; HPF 150 Hz,FFT denoise 12 dB (floor -50); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_pencil_scribble_2: #85703 "Pencil_scibble.aif" by tmkappelt, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-3.20 s; HPF 150 Hz,FFT denoise 12 dB (floor -62); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_tick: synthesized for this series: A short synthesized key click for typing in the Qaf app screen (made for this series). Non-instrumental.
sfx_whoosh_soft_synth: synthesized for this series: White noise through a time-varying log-Gaussian band-pass sweeping 300 Hz -> 2.2 kHz, swell envelope, slow L->R pan.