Ethanol and Propylene Glycol
QUESTION:
1. Is synthetic alcohol Halaal for consumption?
Synthetic alcohols are lab made; they are not made by fermenting of grapes or wheat (which is done in wine/beer making).
2. Also, what about substances like propylene glycol, which have 2 alcohol groups (as in organic chemistry-based alcohol groups) but are used for dissolving things like vanilla essence or food colouring?
3. Does the Islamic ruling on alcohol differentiate between alcohols (as in an organic chemistry group at large) and ethanol (this alcohol is present in drinks that we call alcohol like wine, beer, liquor etc)?
4. This website below has a similar question, but the answer talks about alcohols in general being allowed for consumption if it is not intoxicating. Is this correct, as in most scholars would agree with this opinion?
https://islamqa.org/hanafi/seekersguidance-hanafi/107541/is-propylene-glycol-permitted-to-use-and-consume/
ANSWER:
1. Synthetic alcohol is not Halaal for consumption. Synthetic ethanol is readily synthesized from natural gas, coal, and ethylene-a by-product of petroleum. Generally, there are two main methods of ethanol synthesis: one is fermentation derived from corn or sugar cane and hydration of petroleum-based ethylene, and the other is CO hydrogenation. Synthetic alcohol is a tasteless ingredient formulated to be added to versions of non-alcoholic drinks from beer to wine and spirits, according to the inventors. In conclusion, it is not permissible.
N.B Process synthesis is the assembly and interconnection of units into a process network, involving different physical and chemical phenomena to transform raw material and energy inputs into desired products with the goal of optimizing a given objective function.
2. Propylene glycol is primarily derived from soybeans and canola. It is a viscous (sticky/thick), colourless liquid which is nearly odourless but possesses a faintly sweet taste. As it contains two alcohol groups, it is classed as a diol (something which includes two alcohols). It is used to absorb extra water and maintain moisture in certain medicines, cosmetics, or foods products. It is a solvent for food colours and flavours, and in the paint and plastic industries.
3. Both are Haraam irrespective of whether synthesized or derived from crops through fermentation. The word alcohol generally (in layman’s terms) refers to an intoxicating ingredient found in beverages. In chemistry however, the term alcohol is used to describe any Oxygen-Hydrogen containing molecule, and the word ethanol refers to a certain group of alcohols which contain two carbon atoms in their chemical structure, and this group of alcohols have intoxicating properties. Ethanol can be produced by the fermentation of crops, or synthetically by the hydration of ethene.
4. According to Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah, alcohol that is extracted from wheat, barley, honey, maize/corn, petrol, etc. is Halaal and permissible to use. A person that consumes wine that has been manufactured from these sources (i.e. wheat, barley, honey, maize /corn, petrol, etc.) will not be given the Shari’ee Hadd (punishment) even though one had reached a state of intoxication.
However, according to Imaam Muhammad Rahimahullah it is Haraam to consume alcohol derived from these products, and if a person consumes wine that has been manufactured from these sources to the extent that he is intoxicated, then the Shari’ee Had (punishment for consuming alcohol) will be executed upon such a person. The Ulama have written that the Fatwa has been passed on the view of Imaam Muhammad Rahimahullah due to Fasaad (corruption) being prevalent in our era.
According to the principles of Ifta, it is necessary for one to follow the juristic view which is the view of Imaam Muhammad Rahimahullah in the above-mentioned Mas’ala,
One may argue that if a small quantity of ethanol is consumed in some beverage, then it doesn’t lead to intoxication. Mufti Saeed Palanpuri Rahimahullah has written in his commentary of Tirmidhi Sharif that taking alcohol in small quantity creates the desire to consume it in larger quantity, and this continues until one becomes an alcoholic. In conclusion, our protection lies in following the Mufata-Behee Qawl in the Mas’ala.
وَقَالَ فِي الْجَامِعِ الصَّغِيرِ : وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ الْأَشْرِبَةِ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ ) قَالُوا : هَذَا الْجَوَابُ عَلَى هَذَا الْعُمُومِ وَالْبَيَانِ لَا يُوجَدُ فِي غَيْرِهِ ، وَهُوَ نَصٌّ عَلَى أَنَّ مَا يُتَّخَذُ مِنْ الْحِنْطَةِ وَالشَّعِيرِ وَالْعَسَلِ وَالذُّرَةِ حَلَالٌ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ ، وَلَا يُحَدُّ شَارِبُهُ عِنْدَهُ وَإِنْ سَكِرَ مِنْهُ ، ——- وَعَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ أَنَّهُ حَرَامٌ وَيُحَدُّ شَارِبُهُ وَيَقَعُ طَلَاقُهُ إذَا سَكِرَ مِنْهُ كَمَا فِي سَائِرِ الْأَشْرِبَةِ الْمُحَرَّمَةِ (البناية فى شرح الهداية ص 104 ج15)
وعن محمد انه حرام اي ان المتخذ من الحنطة والشعير والعسل والذرة حرام ويُحَدُّ شَارِبُهُ اذا سكر منه اي من المتخذ من هذه الاشياء— ان الفتوي على قول محمد كذا ذكره الامام المحبوبى (البناية فى شرح الهداية ص 104 ج15)
قال الزيلعي وصاحب الملتقي ——ان الفتوي فى زماننا بقول محمد لغابة الفساد—- (البناية فى شرح الهداية ص 104
وأما غير الأشربة الأربعة، فليست نجسة عند الإمام أبي حنيفة (رحمه الله) تعالى
وبهذا يتبين حكم الكحول المسكرة التي عمت بها البلوى اليوم فإنها تستعمل في كثير من الأدوية و العطور والمركبات الأخرى، فإنّها إن اتخذت من العنب أو التّمر فلا سبيل إلي حلّتها أو طهارتها، وإن اتخذت من غيرهما فالأمر فيها سهل على مذهب أبي حنيفة (رحمه الله) تعالى، ولا يحرم استعمالها للتداوي أو لأغراض مباحة أخرى ما لم تبلغ حد الإسكار، لأنها إنما تستعمل مركبة مع المواد الأخرى، ولا يحكم بنجاستها أخذاً بقول أبي حنيفة (رحمه الله) وإن معظم الكحول التي تستعمل اليوم في الأدوية و العطور وغيرها لا تتخذ من العنب أو التمر، إنما تتخذ من الحبوب أو القشور أو البترول وغيره، كما ذكرنا في باب بيع الخمر من كتاب البيوع، و حينئذ هناك فسحة في الأخذ بقول أبي حنيفة عند عموم البلوي.
والله سبحانه أعلم ( تكملة فتح الملهم بشرح صحيح المسلم ج٣ص٥٠٧)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Ahmed Saeed
Date: 28 Rajab 1445 / 09 February 2024
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb