Angels Tapping at the Wine-­Shop’s Door: A History of Alcohol in the Islamic World

Islam is the only major world religion that resists the juggernaut of alcohol consumption. In many Islamic countries, alcohol is banned; in others, it plays little role in social life. Yet, Muslims throughout history did drink, often to excess―whether sultans and shahs in their palaces, or commoners in taverns run by Jews or Christians. They celebrated wine and used it as a poetic metaphor, even viewing alcohol as a gift from God―the key to unlocking eternal truth. Drawing on a plethora of sources in multiple languages, Matthee presents Islam not as an austere and uncompromising faith, but as a set of beliefs and practices that embrace ambivalence, allowing for ambiguity and even contradiction.