TOBACCO

Arabic duk͟hān ( دخان‎ ) (smoke). In some parts of Syria tabag͟h ( تبغ‎ ) and tutun ( تتن‎ ); in India and Central Asia, tamāku , corruption of the Persian tambākū ( تنباكو‎ ). Tobacco was introduced into Turkey, Arabia, and other parts of Asia soon after the beginning of the seventeenth century of the Christian era, and very soon after it had begun to be regularly imported from America into western Europe. Its lawfulne to the Muslim is warmly disputed. The Wahhābīs have always maintained its unlawfulne , and even other Muslims hardly contend for its lawfulne , but it has become generally used in Muslim countries. In India, smoking is allowed in mosques; but in Afg͟hānistān and Central Asia, it is generally forbidden. The celebrated Muslim leader, the Ak͟hūnd of Swat, although an opponent of the Wahhābīs, condemned the use of tobacco on account of its exhilarating effects.