[nashashmi]

Yes, agreed on all fronts. I am familiar with Knight as well. The literal word is intoxicants, not wine. And different substances were interpreted as intoxicants later. But after being declared intoxicants, Islamic leaders would not go near it. Avicenna was a Muslim researcher and philosopher, and not religiously minded. Sufis experimented with various elements of mysticism and some experimented with substances even to this day. But there explorations were attempts to find God and perhaps understand intoxicants’ effects on the brain. I put them under the researchers’ category.

[thendrill]

"But after being declared intoxicants, Islamic leaders would not go near it"

Absolutely false. Until today the Islamic ( Arabic) "elite" is very fond of fancy wines and alcohol.

The prohibition is only for the common street folk.

[nashashmi]

I believe you are talking about religious observances. The elites may or may not be observant. But they are also not clergy/“Islamic leaders”.