The Foodguide follows the opinion of major contemporary Hanafi scholars including the venerable Mufti Yusuf Sacha of the UK (highly acclaimed foods expert) and Mufti Ashraf Usmani of Pakistan. The fatwa in our times is that synthetic alcohols (and all alcohol not sourced from dates and grapes) in foods and otherwise is pure (tahir), and permitted to use and consume on the conditions that:
(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).
Courtesy: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
This verdict is for alcoholic flavourings, and not where alcohol is added as an ingredient in a product. In that case, regardless what the souce of the alcohol is, it is not permissible.
The verdict of many contemporary 'Ulama is based on sources of Hadith which infers that alcohol from dates and grapes are regarded as Khamr (intoxicants catagorically mentioned in the Qur'aan), and that other alcohols are not impure.
The Hadith from Sahih Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmizi, Nasai, Ibn Majah says that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam said:
Khamr is from these two trees: dates and grapes". (I'laus sunan Vol.18 Pg.26)
This is the view propounded by the Foodguide service and rest assured that it is of sound Hanafi scholarship.
Nevertheless, if you are a follower of a Maz-hab (school of thought) apart from the Hanafi School or you prefer to refrain from such products then that is fine too. We will try to facilitate such persons by indicating which products are affected on this web-site as far as possible. You should contact the company before consuming as alcohol flavouring is a common process.
Flavourings from dates and grapes?
Alhumdulillah, to date from over 15 years of experience in the field, we have yet to come across flavourings sourced from dates and grapes in the UK market.
We dont issues fatwas at the drop of the hat, but pertinent information is necessary for a decison. Furthermore, we do not charge the companies or consumers for this service, it is totally a Lillah service.
