Question:

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Mufti Saheb, people are rather concerned about the outbreak of Coronavirus and as a result, questioning the permissibility of using Alcohol-based hand gels for hygiene purposes. Please clarify.

Answer:

Alcohol (khamr) is not only forbidden for consumption but rather, its application on the body or clothing is also forbidden in the law of Islam whether it is for cosmetic or medicinal purposes. Using hand sanitiser which contains alcohol for prevention of infection is included in this law, this is because isopropyl or ethyl alcohol fits the category of khamr which is explicitly forbidden in the Quran. It is narrated by Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited the use of impure medicine.

عن أبى هريرة قال نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الدواء الخبيث رواه أحمد و أبو داود و الترمذي و ابن ماجة

It mentioned in Bahar e Shariat with reference to Fatawa Alamgiri,

شراب سے خارجی علاج بھی نا جائز ہے مثلا زخم میں شراب لگائی یا کسی جانور کو زخم ہے اس پر شراب لگائی یا بچہ کے علاج میں شراب کا استعمال ان سب میں وہ گنہگار ہو گا جس نے اس کو استعمال کرایا (عالمگیری)

“Topical application of alcohol is also impermissible, for example, applying alcohol to a wound. If an animal is wounded and alcohol is applied to it or it is applied as medicine for a child, the person who applied it will be accountable for the sin.”

Although prevention is important, it is not as important and necessary as cure after the illness has occurred. If the law has forbidden the application of alcohol for cure then it is surely forbidden for prevention.

The fact of the matter is that alcohol (khamr) is an impurity and it will cause anything to become impure once applied to it or added to it. A drop of alcohol in a bucket of water renders the whole bucket of water impure and similarly, the hand sanitiser is ruled impure if it contains alcohol.

It is mentioned in Bahar e Shariat, in the section of major impurities,

ہر قسم کی شراب اور نشہ لانے والی تاڑی

Which means every type of alcohol (consumable) and date wine that causes intoxication is an impurity itself.

The Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, states,

ما أسكر كثيره فقليله حرام

That which may cause intoxication in large amounts, its small amount is also forbidden.

Based on this, the Jurists confirm that every drop of these alcohols (which cause intoxication) is an impurity and forbidden and a drop of it into a pure substance will render the pure substance impure. However, if it is a large pool of water (Al-Maa Al-Katheer), then only that part of the pool will be ruled impure where a change in the water is observed due to the impurity via colour, smell or taste. Whereas when it is smaller than a large pool (Al-Maa Al-Sagheer), regardless of any observation, it is all ruled impure.

Alcohol that is forbidden in Islam, is every type that may potentially cause intoxication when consumed. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him said,

الخمر ما خامر العقل

Khamr (Forbidden Alcohol) is that which engrosses the intellect.

This rules that any substance whether natural or synthetic that possesses the potential capability to cause intoxication to the intellect after consumption is not only forbidden for oral intake, but also for topical application.

If any individual does use hand sanitiser that contains alcohol then the advice is that they must wash their hands before performing Salah if already in the state of ablution. If anyone applies any substance which contains alcohol on their clothing, then the advice is to remove or change that clothing before performing Salah.

For Salah, a small amount of major impurity (Najasat e Ghaliza) is forgiven and will not invalidate the Salah. This amount is less than the circumference of the amount of water one can hold in his palm when open flat. This means that if there is major impurity on your body or clothing and it is equivalent to the circumference of water that you can hold in your palm when flat open then the Salah is incomplete. One must repeat the Salah after removing the impurity or changing the garment accordingly. If it is greater than that amount then Salah is invalid and if it is less than that amount then it is forgiven. This is in the Hanafi Fiqh.

As for the prevention of viruses and illnesses, Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, have emphasised us to put our faith and trust in Allah but after taking appropriate measures. Appropriate measures were demonstrated to us more than fourteen hundred years ago by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

In Sunan Ibn Majah, it is recorded that Sayyiduna Ali was prohibited by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, from eating certain dates while recovering from a certain illness yet he, peace and blessings be upon him, ate from those particular dates and advised him that this is harmful to you. On the contrary, when cooked chard and barley was brought, he, peace and blessings be upon him, advised Sayyiduna Ali to eat it and advised it was beneficial for him in his recovery.

The experts, although uncertain, have advised regular and thorough washing of hands is the best action for prevention of the coronavirus and also for other illnesses. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in several narrations practised and advised us to regularly and thoroughly wash our hands.

It is recorded in the Sunan of Ibn Majah,

عن أبى هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال إذا نام أحدكم و في يده ريح غمز فلم يغسل يده فأصابه شيء فلا يلومن إلا نفسه

“If a person can smell fat (or grease) on his hands and does not wash his hands before sleeping and then is inflicted with an illness then there is none other than himself to blame.”

A similar narration is recorded from Sayyidah Fatimah, Allah is pleased with her. Today the experts have said that the coronavirus is an enveloped virus, which means it has an outer lipid membrane layer and the washing of the hands is advised to remove this greasy fatty layer that inevitably kills the virus.

It is recorded in the Sunan of Abu Dawood,

عن سلمان فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم بركة الطعام الوضوء قبله و الوضوء بعده

This means that he, peace and blessings be upon him, would perform ablution before and after eating and advised others to do so and it is explained by the Scholars that this ablution refers to the washing of the hands, face and mouth.

He, peace and blessings be upon him, would wash his hands first thing in the morning and rinse his mouth and nostrils, he also advised us to do so. He would wash his hands and after the call of nature, and again advised us to do so. He would also wash his hands, rinse his mouth and wash his face before eating and after eating.

He would wash his hands thoroughly for every ablution. He, peace and blessings be upon him, also made it a condition to ensure that water flows over every particle of skin and hair while washing and advised to specifically pay attention to the skin in between the fingers (the purlicue and interdigital folds). The flowing of water is so that the germs and bacteria are carried away and removed from the hands. The rinsing of the mouth and gargling is also to ensure all germs and bacteria are removed and similarly the emphasis he, peace and blessings be upon him, placed in ensuring the water reaches the soft bone in the nose is for this purpose.

In a narration he, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited blowing or breathing into food or drink,

عن ابن عباس قال لم يكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ينفخ في طعام و لا شراب و لا يتنفس في الإناء

Every Muslim should ensure he follows these measures demonstrated and emphasised by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and then put their faith in Allah for the protection from viruses, infections and illnesses.

If after all these measures, one is inflicted with any of these illnesses then it is a test from Allah and patience must be practised and expert advice must be adhered to as long as it does not force an individual to violate the law of Allah by using impure or forbidden medicine.

All illnesses are from Allah and the cure is also from Allah, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

عن أبي هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ما أنزل الله داء إلا أنزل له شفاء

“For every illness that Allah has sent, He has also sent a cure.”

Although He is the one who tests us with illnesses, He is the one who gives cure and therefore we should supplicate to His Majesty that he protects us from illnesses and gives patience and cure to those who are inflicted and Allah knows best.

Zahid Hussain al-Qadiri

Question

What happens to a person who dies in the state of Intoxication? Should the people attend his Janazah? What will be his punishment? Please prescribe a wazeefa to get rid from this Major sin of Drinking, Smoking Weed/Marijuana etc

Answer

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“(For every person’s destiny) only the state at the end is considered”

This means that a person will be deemed successful or unsuccessful in this world based on his/her state when he/she died. If a person died in the state of being a Muslim, then he/she will be destined for reward and eternal bliss, whereas a person who died as an unbeliever will be destined for punishment and eternal damnation - as has been clearly determined by Allah, the Almighty.

Imam Abu Dawood has recorded in his Sunan that Sayyidah Umm Salamah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited substances that are Muskir (like alcohol) and Muftir (like marijuana).

Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim have recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Every substance that intoxicates is khamr and every khamr is forbidden.”

And also:

“He who consumes khamr in the world and dies in that state without repentance will not consume it in the hereafter.”

It is confirmed that the people of paradise will consume the pure khamr in the hereafter. Therefore, this Hadith indicates that the person who drinks alcohol or consumes other forms of intoxicants may die without Imaan.

There is a narration from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, Allah is pleased with him, recorded in Mishkaat Al-Masaabeeh, that the person who regularly consumes khamr and dies in that state will come in the court of Allah (on the day of judgement) like an idol worshipper.

It is also recorded from Sayyiduna Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari that the person who continuously consumes khamr will never enter Jannah.

Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim have recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“A person does not consume khamr in the state that he is a believer while he consumes it.”

Imam Ahmed Rida has recorded a narration in his Fataawa which makes it clearer; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Allah removes the Imaan of the one who commits zina (unlawful intercourse) or consumes khamr in the manner that a man removes his shirt from his head.”

All these narrations and many more are clearly announcing that it is highly probable that a person who consumes khamr will die without Imaan. There is a definite fear that he may renounce his faith before leaving this world, especially for the individual who dies in the state of consuming intoxicants.

Sadr Al-Shariah writes in Bahare Shariat that when a person is near his death, the people should remove any pictures or dogs (if there are any) in the house because the Angels of mercy do not enter such a house; this is based on a Hadith from Sunan Al-Tirmizi. One should take heed from the above. If a pious person is in a house which has pictures in it, there is fear that the Angels of punishment will take him instead of the Angels of mercy; then what of the person who dies in the state of consuming intoxicants? Do you think that the Angels of mercy will roam around a person who is smoking weed or consuming alcohol? May Allah protect us from such sinful actions!

The warnings given in the above narrations from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are enough as a prescription of Wazeefah. Simply to know these fearful warnings should stop a believer from engaging in such acts. The Messenger of Allah peace and blessings be upon him said:

“Increase the amount of times you remember the destroyer of desires - (which is) death.”

Frequently bring the thought in the mind that we all will die one day and death will take us away from this world, no matter where we try to hide and run. This world is temporary and very short, whereas the hereafter is eternal. If Allah wills, then this thought will help prevent these evil acts.

It is a collective obligation to perform the Janazah Salah of a person who used to commit sinful acts with the hope of his/her forgiveness, as long as it is known that the person died as a believer.

A scholar or specific pious people may refuse to perform the Janazah of a certain open Faasiq in order to teach a lesson to others who are engaged in such sins and Allah knows best.

Zahid Hussain Al-Qadiri
(Beggar at the doorstep of Scholars)
19th Shawwaal Al-Mukarram 1436 AH

Question:
What is the ruling regarding vinegar that is made from alcohol such as spirit vinegar, white wine vinegar, etc?

Answer: 
The dictionary defines vinegar as “a sour liquid obtained by acetic fermentation of dilute alcoholic liquids and used as a condiment or preservative.”

Most vinegars are initially from alcohol. Once the certain type of alcohol or material containing sugar is fermented in a particular way it becomes vinegar. The alcohol loses its essence (intoxication) and no longer remains alcohol therefore becoming vinegar which is pure as well as Halal to use. 

Cider vinegar or Apple vinegar is made from the two-fold fermentation of the juices of apples. Vinegar can be made from other fruits such as peaches and berries with the labels describing starting materials. 

Wine vinegar or Grape vinegar is made from the two-fold fermentation of the juice of grapes. 

Spirit or distilled vinegar is made by the acetic fermentation of dilute distilled alcohol. 

It is labelled white wine vinegar, spirit vinegar etc. As this was the alcohol/ material that was fermented to become vinegar. 

It is stated in Kanz al-Daqaiq;
"Vinegar from alcohol is Halal, regardless of if it was made or became [vinegar] itself." 

Therefore, it is permissible to consume White vinegar, spirit vinegar etc. As it is no longer alcohol containing intoxication, and the state has completely changed. Also, this type of vinegar is clean and pure, thus if it falls on clothing etc. then the cloth is clean.  

Allah knows best.
(Information regarding vinegar and its preparation taken from various reliable sources on the internet) 

Answered by:

Muhammad Kalim (Preston)
Verified by Mufti Zahid Hussain al-Qadri