And obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and beware. Then if you turn away, you should know that it is Our Messenger's duty to convey in the clearest way.
Hadiths that Prohibit Khamr (Intoxicants)
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,
"There were three stages to prohibiting Khamr (intoxicants). When the Messenger of Allah migrated to Al-Madinah, the people were consuming alcohol and gambling, so they asked the Messenger of Allah about these things, Allah revealed,
يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَأ إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَـفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ
They ask you about alcoholic drink and gambling. Say;"In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men." (2;219) until the end of the Ayah.
The people said, `They (intoxicants and gambling) were not prohibited for us. Allah only said,
فِيهِمَأ إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَـفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ
(In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men).'
So they went on drinking Khamr until one day, one of the emigrants lead his companions in the Maghrib prayer and mixed up the Ayat in his recitation. Thereafter, Allah sent down a tougher statement,
يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَقْرَبُواْ الصَّلَوةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَـرَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُواْ مَا تَقُولُونَ
O you who believe! Approach not the Salah (the prayer) when you are in a drunken state until you know (the meaning of) what you utter. (4;43)
Then, the people would drink before the time of the prayer so that they would attend the prayer while sober.
A firmer Ayah was later revealed,
يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ...
أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ
O you who believe! Khamr, Maysir, Ansab, and Azlam are an abomination of Shaytan's handiwork. So avoid that in order that you may be successful.
Shaytan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with Khamr (intoxicants) and Maysir (gambling), and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from the Salah (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain! (5;90-91)
So they said, `We abstained, O Lord!' Later, some people said, `O Allah's Messenger! Some people died in the cause of Allah, while some others died in their beds, but they used to drink alcohol and indulge in gambling, which Allah has made a Rijs of the work of Shaytan.' So Allah sent down