If the prayer of a wine-drinker will not be accepted for forty days, will his Hajj not be accepted either?

Praise be to Allah.

Drinking alcohol is a major sin, and there are stern warnings to the one who does that in many ahaadeeth which point to the seriousness of this crime and the severe punishment for it by Allaah, one example of which is the fact that the person’s prayers will not be accepted for forty days. This has been discussed in the answers to questions no. 20037, 38145 and 27143. 

A number of scholars are of the view that this does not apply only to prayer; rather other acts of worship will also not be accepted. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. 

Al-Mubaarakfoori said in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: It was said that prayer was singled out for mention because it is the best of physical acts of worship. If it is not accepted then it is more likely that other acts of worship will not be accepted either. End quote from Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi. This was also stated by al-‘Iraaqi and al-Munaawi. 

We pointed out two things in the answers referred to: 

1 – The fact that it is not accepted means that one does not attain the reward; it does not mean that one should stop worshipping. Rather if a person stops praying then he will have committed another sin which may be worse than drinking alcohol, namely giving up prayer. 

If a person is able to do Hajj, then he must do it straightaway according to the majority of scholars, and it is not permissible for him to delay it; if he delays it then he is sinning. 

2 – This punishment for drinking alcohol only applies to the one who does not repent. If a person repents and turns to Allaah, then Allaah will accept his repentance and his good deeds. 

Thus you know that you have to repent to Allaah and resolve never to go back to that. You should do a lot of righteous deeds, which includes Hajj, for there is no reward for an accepted Hajj but Paradise. If an accepted Hajj is combined with repentance, then all sins will be expiated, minor and major. 

Beware of these bad companions who dragged you into this major sin. Hasten to advise them and call them to repent and turn back to Allaah. If they respond, all well and good, otherwise flee from them as you would flee from a lion, for a man will be gathered with those whom he loved on the Day of Resurrection, and a bad friend only brings loss and doom. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And (remember) the Day when the Zaalim (wrongdoer, oppressor, polytheist) will bite at his hands, he will say: ‘Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).

28. ‘Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so‑and‑so as a Khaleel (an intimate friend)!

29. ‘He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (this Qur’aan) after it had come to me. And Shaytaan (Satan) is to man ever a deserter in the hour of need’”

[al-Furqaan 25:27-29]

We ask Allaah to accept your repentance and forgive you, and to guide you to His straight path, and make you steadfast in adhering to it, and to keep the devils of mankind and the jinn away from you. 

And Allaah knows best.