Permissibility of Alcohol

[ArashSajjad]

I was reading the following thread and was confused about the mufti saying it is permissible to consume products with small amounts of non date/grape derived alcohol as long as the product does not intoxicate: http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/show...-allow-Alcohol

1 year ago I was reading a fatwa on askimam.org in which he said that food that contains alcohol that is not derived from grapes or dates are permissible to consume as long as the food does not intoxicate and the alcohol is not used in vain. I was confused since ethyl alcohol is the same regardless of where it's derived. So I emailed the Mujlisul Ulama of S.A. about my confusion about askimam's stance on the permissibility of small amounts of alcohol not derived from grapes or dates. I even sent them the fatwas from askimam that I was referring to.

This was their exact reply:

All forms of alcohol are haraam regardless of the source from which
it is derived. Whether it is grape alcohol, barley alcohol, date
alcohol, etc., etc. it is haraam. Foods containing alcohol of any type
are not permissible.

Those who are of the view that foods with non-grape alcohol are halaal
are in error. Whisky, Gin, Vodka and numerous, in fact most, types of
liquor are not grape alcohol. If someone drinks a spoon of
whisky/vodka just as a tonic, it will be wrong to say that it is
halaal simply because the whisky is not grape alcohol and the spoonful
does not intoxicate.

The view of non-grape alcohol being permissible in small quantity is
paving the way for the legalization of liquor. This is sure to happen
because Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that in later
times liquor will be made halaal by giving it fanciful names.

Furthermore, even great Ulama err. Those who contend permissibility in
this regard are in error. And Allah knows best.

Was-salaam

A.S. Desai

For

Mujlisul Ulama of S.A.

Apparently their view is very different from Mufti Ebrahim Desai. I'm just wondering how other brothers here are approaching this issue. Personally, I abstain from any product with alcohol regardless of where its been derived from.

[abuhajira]

I was reading the following thread and was confused about the mufti saying it is permissible to consume products with small amounts of non date/grape derived alcohol as long as the product does not intoxicate: http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/show...-allow-Alcohol

1 year ago I was reading a fatwa on askimam.org in which he said that food that contains alcohol that is not derived from grapes or dates are permissible to consume as long as the food does not intoxicate and the alcohol is not used in vain. I was confused since ethyl alcohol is the same regardless of where it's derived. So I emailed the Mujlisul Ulama of S.A. about my confusion about askimam's stance on the permissibility of small amounts of alcohol not derived from grapes or dates. I even sent them the fatwas from askimam that I was referring to.

This was their exact reply:



Apparently their view is very different from Mufti Ebrahim Desai. I'm just wondering how other brothers here are approaching this issue. Personally, I abstain from any product with alcohol regardless of where its been derived from.

The issue is not suitable for a QnA in Hanafi Madhab rather an indepth discussion. This discussion has been done countless times on Sunniforum. Maulana A S Desai Saheb of Majlis.net is indeed a very Muttaqi and pious Wali of Allah. His stance on this issue corresponds with the Qawl of Imam Muhammad rahimahullah.

In our times however, it is extremely hard to avoid using some form synthetic alcohol, because of its overwhelming use in almost all manufactured products. Most commercial product need some form of solvents. While there are alternatives, it is not commercially possible to dictate the industry to avoid alcoholic solvents. Most medications also have the same issue. This state is called umumul bulwa. In wake of such a state, a mufti uses his discretion to decide whether prohibiting such an item would jeopardize the normal life of an individual.

Naturally occurring ethanol come under the same prohibition as well. It is incorrect to assert that since they are natural, they are permissible. There is not substantial basis for such claim. For example, in South Africa we have an alcoholic drink made from a fruit called Marula (drink Amarula) This fruit naturally contains intoxicating abilities. If it ferments slightly, it can cause proper intoxication. This is also true for a normal drink such as an orange juice too after it has slightly fermented.

Finally the fatwa of Mufti Desai and many other ulama is NOT that it is perfectly permissible to consume such alcohol until it reaches the level of intoxication. ALTHOUGH that opinion is the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa r.a since such alcohol is not categorized in Hanafi Fiqh as Khamr. Nontheless, the fatwa of esteemed Mufti and countless other Muftiyan is that such alcohol is permissible for consumption WITH CONDITIONS.

For example Mufti Ehzaz Saheb mentions :

1. It is not used as an intoxicant or to an amount which intoxicates
2. It is not used in vain

--

Mufti Abrar mentions :

1. The alcohol is not derived from dates or grapes
2. It cannot intoxicate
3. It is not used in vain (lahw)

--

Sheikh Faraz Rabbani mentions :

(a) it is not used as an intoxicant;
(b) it is not used as intoxicants as used (i.e. for alcoholic consumption, even a little);
(c) it is not used in an amount that intoxicates;
(d) it is not used in vain (lahw).

All these conditions which have mentioned have a couple things in common. One, that they do not apply to beverages taken in vain. and Two, the consumption should not be as an intoxicant. Whisky, Bear, Malts etc all are taken in vain, and for the precise purpose of intoxication. Hence the fatwa infact prohibits these drinks.

The alcohol in the coke is not from khamr. It is from non khamr sources. It quantity is such that one will have to drink perhaps over 20 liters of it to become drunk. Coke is not drunk to get intoxicated. So it will be permissible to consume coke as well as other food items which have such synthetic alcohol as long as the conditions are met.

I hope that clarifies the stance.

Wallahu A'lam

[muslimsister101]

Would this include foods like icecream that always contains vanilla extract as long as it doesn't intoxicate.I am still a little confused.

JazakAllah kyran.

[abuhajira]

Would this include foods like icecream that always contains vanilla extract as long as it doesn't intoxicate.I am still a little confused.

JazakAllah kyran.

Yes it would include such ice-cream as well. However, you should be careful about other ice-creams such as Rum flavoured etc. They MAY contain grape extracts which would not be permissible, hence better to avoid such flavours.

[Talib84]

Yes it would include such ice-cream as well. However, you should be careful about other ice-creams such as Rum flavoured etc. They MAY contain grape extracts which would not be permissible, hence better to avoid such flavours.

Walikum Salam

I get the impression from the above statement that if the Rum flavored ice cream has no khamr extracts it would be permissible to eat it.

Anyways I don't want to eat Rum and Raisin, but I would like to know if the Rum and Raisin has no Khamr in it, then can we ignore the contamination issue and consume other ice cream flavors from places which sell non Khamr Rum n Raisin? Most ice cream places here sell Rum and Raisin flavor, and we were always told not to eat from such places due to contamination. This was discussed in a thread with Mufti Husain but I never got a clear answer.

[ArashSajjad]

JazakAllah for the clarification Mufti Abu Hajira saheb.

[abuhajira]

Walikum Salam

I get the impression from the above statement that if the Rum flavored ice cream has no khamr extracts it would be permissible to eat it.

Anyways I don't want to eat Rum and Raisin, but I would like to know if the Rum and Raisin has no Khamr in it, then can we ignore the contamination issue and consume other ice cream flavors from places which sell non Khamr Rum n Raisin? Most ice cream places here sell Rum and Raisin flavor, and we were always told not to eat from such places due to contamination. This was discussed in a thread with Mufti Husain but I never got a clear answer.

Yes, if Rum and Raisin flavour has no khamr in it, or any other haram ingredient, then technically it will be permissible to consume it. However, many fuqaha would still avoid them due to the name and connotation they go by. This karahiyah (dislikeness) is same as consuming pork spice (which may not contain any pork), but just the idea of satisfying oneself through something which has the name pork attached to it, is distasteful. Hence according to these fuqaha we should avoid these items as well.

Wallahu A'lam