THE LEGALITY OF USING KETUM LEAVES ACCORDING TO SHARIAH PERSPECTIVE

Addiction of ketum juice among some Muslims in Malaysia has become a hot topic for discussion in mass media. The reason is that ketum juice has been abused for the wrong purpose such as for getting high or stoned and intoxicated. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that ketum juice has its own benefits for treating weak bodies as practised by people in the olden days. In addition, past society also used ketum leaves as a basic ingredient in traditional medicine. For that reason, scholars presently differin their views to determine the legal status of ketum juice. Thus, in order to determine the legality of ketum juice, whether halal, haram, mubah or makruh, a study was conducted to study the good and bad of ketum juice from the scientific perspective. The research methodology used are document and content analysis. Research results find that ketum juice has benefits for humans. The benefits in using ketum leaves outweigh the disadvantages. Ketum leaves can be the alternative treatment for certain diseases followed up by doctors' prescribed medication. The bad of ketum leaves are caused by a group of people who mix ketum juice with prohibited substances so as to cause getting high or stoned and intoxication. In that regard, scholars are of the opinion that it is permitted (mubah) to take ketum juice if it is not mixed with prohibited substances and is for treatment and not other purposes. If ketum juice is mixed with unclean sources,then its status changes from permitted (mubah) to forbidden (haram).