Is smoking forbidden (محرم) or merely disliked (مكروه)? And what is the difference between forbidden (محرم) and disliked (مكروه)?

The difference between what is forbidden (muharram) and what is disliked (makruh) is that the Lawgiver has commanded the abandonment of the forbidden with a firm command, whereas the Lawgiver has commanded the abandonment of the disliked with a non-firm command. One is rewarded for abandoning both the forbidden and the disliked out of compliance (with God's command), and the perpetrator of the forbidden is sinful, while the perpetrator of the disliked is not sinful. A Muslim should strive to perform obligations and recommended acts, and to abandon forbidden and disliked acts, in order to attain high ranks.