A little wonder, every day
Coffee and religious debates
1 / 2
AI-generated historical-inspired Ottoman coffeehouse scene; not a record of a specific event. Origin: OpenAI image generation, 2026-10-25.
Listen to fact0:00 / —
In the 16th century, some Muslim communities debated coffee: its stimulating effects and behavior in coffeehouses were sometimes cited as reasons for prohibition. This was not the view of all Muslims, and the debate did not mean coffee was simply “wine.” Over time, the drink spread and became commonplace.