| If you asked most people to think of a “marijuana | | | | Islam has generally condemned the use of marijuana; |
| religion”, they instantly think of Rastafarians and | | | | the religion regards the use of any intoxicants as |
| nothing more. But while many religions are as | | | | haraam, or forbidden. Sufism (the mystical offshoot of |
| condemnatory of cannabis as they are of any other | | | | Islam) takes a somewhat different view. This religion |
| intoxicant, there is a recorded history of religions using | | | | believes in knowing God through ecstatic states of |
| marijuana seeds and leaves that stretches back for | | | | mind, and widespread history of marijuana use has |
| thousands of years. Almost every major world religion, | | | | been recorded in Sufi culture over the centuries. |
| it seems, has made use of the drug, usually for spiritual | | | | Indeed, in one Persian folk tale, the founder of Sufism, |
| purposes – look at the list below! | | | | a monk called Haydar, was the first Persian to |
| Taoism | | | | discover marijuana. Out walking in the midst of a |
| Ancient Chinese Taoists were at first sceptical about | | | | depressed mood, he came across the marijuana plant |
| the use of cannabis; their religion regarded it as “the | | | | and ate several of its leaves. Finding his mood |
| liberator of sin” for some time. However, while they | | | | immediately and dramatically improved, he returned to |
| continued to condemn the hallucinations brought on | | | | the monastery and recommended that his brother |
| through excessive use (which they regarded as | | | | monks should try it too! |
| leading to “seeing devils”), by the first century | | | | Hinduism |
| AD the followers of this religion used marijuana seeds | | | | There is a long history of marijuana associated with |
| in their incense burners while meditating, believing that | | | | Hinduism, since about 1500 BC by some records. It is |
| the milder effects of the drug gave them a heightened | | | | most commonly consumed in a drink called bhang, |
| spiritual awareness. | | | | mixed in with spices, milk and sugar and drunk during |
| Christianity | | | | Holi and Baisakhi, key festivals of the Hindu religion. The |
| “Jesus was a stoner” may sound like the slogan | | | | marijuana plant is associated with the god Shiva, and |
| on a counterculture t-shirt, but it may have a grain of | | | | many Shiavites smoke it in clay pipes called chillums, |
| truth to it. Some historians believe that oil derived from | | | | believing it to be a gift from Shiva to help humans |
| marijuana seeds was a central ingredient in Jewish | | | | reach a higher spiritual level. |
| and Christian holy anointing oils. Some of the healing | | | | Buddhism |
| miracles of Jesus have even been attributed to the | | | | Like in most religions, marijuana use is controversial and |
| marijuana in the anointing oils – the drug can take | | | | divisive in Buddhism. The tenets of Buddhism advise |
| effect through skin absorption, and marijuana can | | | | against intoxicants, but in many sects of Chinese |
| relieve the effects of glaucoma, skin ailments and | | | | Buddhism, marijuana has been used in initiation and |
| menstrual pains. | | | | mystical rituals since the 5th century BC. Some |
| In addition to this, Rastafarians and some modern | | | | Tibetan Buddhist priests believe it to be the most holy |
| Gnostic Christians believe that the Tree of Life | | | | of plants, and there are many written records that |
| referred to in one Biblical passage ("the leaves of the | | | | suggest that the founder of Buddhism, Gautama |
| Tree of Life [that] are for the healing of the | | | | Siddhartha, lived primarily on marijuana seeds and |
| nations”) refers to the marijuana plant. | | | | leaves in the years before his enlightenment. |
| Sufism | | | | |