Is this year's Hajj acceptable despite recently drinking alcohol, knowing that the prayers of one who drinks alcohol are not accepted for forty days?

Drinking alcohol is one of the major sins and carries a severe warning, including the non-acceptance of prayers for forty days. Some scholars have gone further, stating that this non-acceptance extends to all acts of worship.

Non-acceptance means not receiving the reward, not abandoning the worship itself. This is because abandoning worship is another sin, and sometimes it can be greater than drinking alcohol, such as abandoning prayer.

This punishment applies to those who have not repented. As for the repentant, Allah accepts their repentance and their deeds.

One must repent to Allah, resolve not to return to the sin, and increase in good deeds such as Hajj. Indeed, a Hajj Mabroor (accepted Hajj) coupled with repentance expiates all sins.

One must be wary of bad company, try to advise them, and if not possible, then keep away from them.