"They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say, 'In them is great sin and benefits for the people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.'" Al-Maysir (gambling) refers to all forms of betting. Regarding His saying: "In them is great sin," when they would drink intoxicants and become intoxicated, some would commit aggression against others, and they used to gamble until one of them was left with nothing, which would sow enmity between them.
As for His saying: "and benefits for the people," this refers to what they used to benefit from by drinking and selling it, and from gambling before Allah prohibited both. Qatadah said: Allah condemned them in this verse but did not prohibit them, for He intended to reach a specific duration, and they were, at that time, permissible for them. Then, Allah revealed after that a verse which was more severe: "O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying." They would drink it, but when the time for prayer arrived, they would abstain. Intoxication during prayer was prohibited for them, while it was permitted for them outside of that. It was narrated to us that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said—when this verse was revealed—: "Allah has drawn closer to the prohibition of this intoxicant." Then Allah revealed its prohibition in Surat al-Ma'idah, saying: "O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows..." up to His saying: "...so will you not desist?" Thus, its prohibition came in this verse, both for its small and large quantities.
﴿يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وإثمهما أكبر من نفعهما﴾ الميسر: الْقمَار كُله. وَقَوله: ﴿فِيهِمَا إِثْم كَبِير﴾ كَانُوا إِذا شربوا الْخمر فسكروا، عدا بَعضهم على بَعْض، وَكَانُوا يتقامرون حَتَّى لَا يبْقى لأَحَدهم شَيْء، فَكَانَ يُورث ذَلِكَ بَينهم عَدَاوَة.
وَقَوله: ﴿وَمَنَافع للنَّاس﴾ مَا كَانُوا يَنْتَفِعُونَ بِهِ من شربهَا وَبَيْعهَا، وَمن الْقمَار قبل أَن يحرمهما اللَّه، قَالَ قَتَادَة: ذمها اللَّه فِي هَذِه الْآيَة، وَلم يحرمها؛ لما أَرَادَ أَن يبلغ بِهَا من الْمدَّة وَهِي يَوْمئِذٍ لَهُم حَلَال، ثمَّ أنزل اللَّه بعد ذَلِكَ آيَة هِيَ أَشد مِنْهَا: ﴿يَا أَيهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلاةَ وَأَنْتُم سكرى حَتَّى تعلمُوا مَا تَقولُونَ﴾ فَكَانُوا يشربونها؛ حَتَّى إِذا حضرت الصَّلاة أَمْسكُوا، وَكَانَ السكر عَلَيْهِم فِيهَا حَرَامًا، وَأحل لَهُم مَا خلا ذَلِكَ، فَذكر لَنَا أَن نَبِي اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ - لما نزلت هَذِه الْآيَة -: إِن اللَّه قد تقرب فِي تَحْرِيم هَذِه الْخمر. ثمَّ أنزل الله تَحْرِيمهَا فِي سُورَة الْمَائِدَة، فَقَالَ: ﴿يَا أَيهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ والأنصاب والأزلم … . .﴾ إِلَى قَوْله: ﴿فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ﴾ فجَاء تَحْرِيمهَا فِي هَذِه الْآيَة قليلها وكثيرها.
