What is the ruling on using medicines that contain a percentage of alcohol?
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The questioner : Many of the medicines found in pharmacies contain a percentage of alcohol, and it may be difficult to do without them due to people’s need for them, so what is the ruling on using them?
The Shaykh : The ruling on using them, if this portion of alcohol mixed in these medicines has no effect, meaning it does not have an effect such that it would intoxicate a person if he consumed it or consumed a large amount of it, then that does no harm, because the alcohol in them has no longer any effect. However, if this alcohol is in a large proportion such that if a person consumes some of it or more than a small amount of it, he becomes intoxicated, then it is not permissible, and it is obligatory to replace it with a medicine that is free of that. It has reached me that they have now succeeded in doing without this alcohol by using other substances, and perhaps it will become widespread among Muslims, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The ruling on using them, if this portion of alcohol mixed in these medicines has no effect, meaning it does not have an effect such that it would intoxicate a person if he consumed it or consumed a large amount of it, then that does no harm, because the alcohol in them has no longer any effect. However, if this alcohol is in a large proportion such that if a person consumes some of it or more than a small amount of it, he becomes intoxicated, then it is not permissible, and it is obligatory to replace it with a medicine that is free of that. It has reached me that they have now succeeded in doing without this alcohol by using other substances, and perhaps it will become widespread among Muslims, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.