ALCOHOL, MALAYSIA, THE OVERTON WINDOW AND THE QUR’AN’S WAY

 

Let me start by first stating clearly that personally I do not consume alcohol. I do not take any business from the alcohol industry. We also do not accept business from tobacco and gambling-based companies. However:

Every now and then, Malaysia finds itself debating alcohol. Should we ban it? Restrict it? Or accept it as part of our multicultural reality?

The recent debates once again made headlines — from the controversy over Malaysia Airlines’ in-flight alcohol policy, to a tourism gala dinner where alcohol was served, to the Prime Minister’s public reminder that no official government event should include alcohol. Schools, too, were reminded to keep clear of sponsorships or promotions from alcohol and gambling brands.

These discussions reveal something deeper than just the question of drinking. They touch upon who we are as a nation — a Muslim-majority country that also takes pride in its diversity, hospitality, and openness to the world.

But perhaps, before rushing to ban or defend, we should pause and reflect on how real and lasting change happens — not just in law, but in hearts. Not just based on politics, but on Qur’anic guidance.

THE OVERTON WINDOW: HOW SOCIETIES EVOLVE

In modern political science, there is a concept called the Overton Window.
It explains how public opinion - and eventually policy - changes over time.

According to Joseph P. Overton, ideas move through a series of stages:
from unthinkable, to radical, to acceptable, to sensible, to popular, and finally, to policy.

Politicians, he argued, rarely lead this change — they follow it. The true drivers of transformation are the people — when their hearts, minds, and conversations evolve.

Overton’s theory shows that lasting reform begins not with a law or decree, but with a shift in public consciousness. That is, with understanding.

THE QUR’AN’S WAY: 1,400 YEARS AHEAD OF OVERTON

Interestingly, what Overton described in recent decades was already demonstrated 1,400 years ago — in how the Qur’an transformed society.

Take the case of alcohol.

In 7th-century Arabia, wine was everywhere. It was part of daily life, trade, and celebration. A total ban, imposed overnight, would have created rebellion and hypocrisy. But the Qur’an, in its divine wisdom, guided people through a gradual moral awakening - one that allowed the community to outgrow the habit naturally.

The process unfolded in three stages:

1. Stage One – Awareness of Harm
   “They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say, ‘In them is great sin and some benefit for people, but the sin is greater than the benefit.’”(Qur’an 2:219)
   Here, the Qur’an did not ban. It invited reflection. It planted a seed of moral doubt. The people began to think.
2. Stage Two – Restraint and Consciousness
   “O you who believe! Do not approach prayer while intoxicated until you know what you are saying.”(Qur’an 4:43).The message tightened. The conflict between worship and intoxication became clear. A believer now had to choose between awareness in prayer or the cloud of alcohol.
3. Stage Three – Moral Readiness and Prohibition
   “Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divining arrows are abominations of Satan’s handiwork. Avoid them so that you may prosper.”
   (Qur’an 5:90). By now, the community was ready. When this verse was revealed, as recorded in Al-Bukhari, the Muslims poured away their wine instantly. Poets said that “wine flowed through the streets of Madinah.”

The Qur’an’s gradual revelation shows that true change begins with consciousness, not coercion. And moral transformation must mature naturally within the human heart.

The Prophet ﷺ did not force his people to stop drinking. He educated them - until they no longer needed to be forced. It was not law that made them change; it was love for God, understanding, and readiness.

THE PROPHET’S ﷺ METHOD: CHANGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

This was the Prophet’s timeless method. He did not impose goodness — he inspired it.
He knew that the only change that lasts is the one that grows from within.

So when the final command came, there was no resistance. The people themselves were prepared. They had already internalized the value. The law simply confirmed what the heart had accepted.

It was not about prohibition; it was about transformation.

A GENTLE WORD TO TODAY’S MUSLIM ADVOCATES

Many Muslims today campaign passionately to ban alcohol in Malaysia.
Their intentions may be noble — they want to protect faith, morality, and society.

But I humbly suggest: before we seek to ban, let us first seek to learn the Qur’anic way.Real transformation requires more than legislation. It requires education, persuasion, and compassion. A policy can restrict an act, but only wisdom can purify a heart.

Let us ask ourselves honestly: Are we fighting to protect Islam — or are we using Islam to protect our political interests?

Because the Qur’an warns us against this kind of hypocrisy:

“Have you seen the one who takes his desires as his god?” (Qur’an 45:23)
“Do not sell God’s covenant for a small price.” (Qur’an 16:95)
“O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do? It is most hateful to God that you say what you do not do.” (Qur’an 61:2–3)

If we are truly fighting for Islam, let us be just as passionate about the causes the Qur’an emphasises again and again - social care, justice, education, ending poverty, caring for parents, protecting orphans, uplifting the weak, and fighting corruption.

Do we raise our voices for these with the same energy that we raise them for banning alcohol?

We must take careful note that during the first five years of revelation, the Qur’an’s emphasis was entirely on awakening the mind, nurturing faith, and building moral consciousness - not on laws or prohibitions.

It began with the command to Read (Iqra’), calling humanity to seek knowledge, reflect, and recognize the Creator. In these early Meccan years, Allah focused on spiritual awakening, personal responsibility, and social compassion - urging believers to care for orphans, feed the poor, and uphold truthfulness.

The early verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq, Al-Muddaththir, Al-Mā‘ūn, and Al-Layl all stressed purification of the self, compassion for others, and sincerity in worship. The message was clear: before society can be governed by divine law, the human heart must first be educated, humbled, and awakened.

THE REAL QUESTION: ARE WE READY?

The Muslims of Madinah were ready to pour away their drinks because their hearts had already changed.

So let me ask us today:

ARE WE READY TO POUR AWAY OUR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON THE STREETS OF KUALA LUMPUR?

Not by decree, but by conviction. Not because of politics, but because of faith.

For society’s norms shift when understanding deepens - not when laws are imposed prematurely.If we want a truly moral society, we must begin not with bans, but with hearts that understand.

Let us be the generation that chooses education over enforcement, sincerity over symbolism, and faith over politics.

I would like to end this article with this very important verse. Muslims - especially our leaders, scholars, and policymakers - must remember that this verse is not meant for Muslims alone, but for all humankind. If we truly and wholeheartedly believe that the Qur’an was sent as guidance for all, then we must factor this divine principle into every decision and policy we are entrusted with. Real change, as the Qur’an teaches, does not begin with laws, politics, or enforcement - it begins from within the human heart.

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Qur’an 13:11)

Anas Zubedy
Penang