Viral! Men Drinking Engine Oil in Mosque, Claiming it Boosts Stamina
The actions of several men in Makassar, South Sulawesi, who were seen taking turns drinking engine oil under the pretext of boosting stamina, have come under scrutiny after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
In the video, several men are seen consuming vehicle lubricant inside a mosque. They took turns drinking the fluid, with one man even claiming that the substance made his body stronger. “Drinking this makes you strong. Someone like me who never does push-ups, after drinking this (oil) once, can already do five push-ups,” one man stated in the video.
The incident has drawn the attention of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of South Sulawesi. The MUI emphasised that consuming engine oil is forbidden (haram) because the substance is not intended for human consumption.
The Secretary of MUI South Sulawesi, Professor Muammar Bakry, stated that engine oil is a specialised substance for vehicles that poses potential health hazards if ingested. “Oil is not a human drink and is certain to have an impact on health; therefore, the ruling is haram. This means drinking oil is forbidden because it is not a beverage,” Muammar said in a statement.
MUI Warns of the Dangers of Engine Oil
Muammar also warned that such actions should not be viewed as normal simply because they have become a viral spectacle. He noted that the claim that drinking oil can increase stamina risks misleading the public if believed and practised by others.
“Just because it is viral, we must ensure this does not become a bad lesson that drinking oil is permissible,” he asserted. “Especially if it is believed to increase stamina and is watched and subsequently followed by others, this is dangerous.”
The Rector of the Islamic University of Makassar (UML), Al-Gazali, also highlighted the appearance of several men in the video, some of whom were wearing Muslim attire while performing the act. He assessed that the use of religious attributes in the video could potentially create a false perception that such actions are justified within Islamic teachings.
“The clothing and the appearance suggest that Islam permits this; I believe that is a very unethical and inhumane act. It is not appropriate to be used as entertainment. The concern is that it could be imitated by others, and that is where the problem lies,” he explained.
Muammar emphasised that actions that potentially endanger health and could be imitated by the public should not be used as entertainment or content on social media.