Did the Assassins Really Use Hashish? The Garden of Paradise Legend
Updated: 6 November 2026
Short answer
There is no evidence that the Assassins used hashish in any systematic way, and no sound evidence for a garden of paradise at Alamut. Farhad Daftary treats both as legends that developed around the Syrian Nizaris and were combined by Marco Polo. Some older reference works still repeat them.
The hashish claim
Daftary writes: "There is no evidence that suggests that hashish or any other drug was used in any systematic fashion". He calls the name "a misnomer rooted in abuse". The 1997 Turkish TDV entry nevertheless states the older view, so the disagreement deserves mention.
Hasan himself reportedly executed a son on suspicion of drinking wine. That does not prove anything about every follower, but it fits poorly with drugs as a tool of rule.
Marco Polo and the garden
According to Daftary, Marco Polo combined the hashish legend with others and added a secret garden of paradise. His book appeared decades after Alamut fell, and it could not describe Hasan, who died in 1124. Peter Willey notes that Juvayni, who surveyed Alamut before it was destroyed, mentions no gardens of that kind.
Frequently asked questions
- Did the Assassins really use hashish?
- No evidence shows systematic use. The label was an insult taken literally.
- Was the legendary Garden of Paradise at Alamut real?
- No sound evidence supports it. It enters the mainstream through Marco Polo's account.
Sources
- Farhad Daftary, “Assassin”, Institute of Ismaili Studies (from Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopaedia)
- Abdülkerim Özaydın, “Hasan Sabbâh”, TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 16 (1997), pp. 347-350 (in Turkish)
- “Alamut Castle”, English Wikipedia
- “Order of Assassins”, English Wikipedia
Medieval authors such as Juvayni, Rashid al-Din and Ibn al-Athir are cited here through the listed studies, not directly. Prepared by the hasansabbah.com editorial team.