Is it permissible for a Muslim to use perfume that contains alcohol?
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The questioner : This questioner is from the Republic of Somalia, residing in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. He says, "O honorable Shaykh, is it permissible for a Muslim to use perfume that contains alcohol?"
The Shaykh : Perfume that contains alcohol?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is divided into two categories. The first category is when the alcohol content is negligible and has no effect, such as being five percent, three percent, or one percent. In this case, there is no harm in using it, because this proportion is small and has no effect.
The second category is when the proportion is large, such as fifty percent. Scholars have differed on the permissibility of using this type. Some said it is permissible, arguing that it was not intended for intoxication but rather for fragrance. They also stated that what we are certain is forbidden is drinking intoxicants, and this man did not drink it. They cited the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90-91] They said that this is the explanation of the ruling, specifically the ruling of prohibition, which is that it is a cause for sowing enmity and hatred, and for turning away from the path of Allah, from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer. They said that this does not occur when a person uses it as a fragrance.
Some scholars said one should not use it as a fragrance due to the generality of His saying:.
In my view, if one uses it as a fragrance, he does not commit a sin, but the precaution is not to use it, and praise be to Allah, there is plenty of other fragrance available.
This is regarding using it as a fragrance or not. As for purity and impurity, these perfumes containing alcohol are pure, no matter how high the proportion is, because there is no evidence from the Qur'an, the Sunnah, or the practice of the Companions that khamr (intoxicants) is ritually impure. If no evidence indicates its impurity, the original state is purity until evidence of impurity is established. The prohibition of something does not necessarily mean it is ritually impure; something may be forbidden without being impure. Harmful things are forbidden even if they are not impure. For example, poison is forbidden but not impure. Eating things that worsen an illness, such as sweets for a diabetic, is forbidden but not impure. Indeed, Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said that if a person fears harm from lawful food because he fills his stomach excessively or fears indigestion, then that lawful food becomes forbidden.
The important point is that the prohibition of something does not necessarily mean it is ritually impure. There is no doubt that khamr is forbidden, but it is not impure because there is no evidence of its impurity. The listener and the one hearing this knows that prohibition does not imply that the forbidden thing is impure. In fact, there is positive evidence that it is not impure. This is what is established in Sahih Muslim: a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with a vessel of khamr he had gifted to him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is not permissible to accept what is forbidden; rather, it must be destroyed. A man from the Companions whispered to the owner of the vessel. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He said, "I told him to sell it." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Ibn Hibban 26:35 or as he said. The man then took the mouth of the vessel and poured it out in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order him to wash it from the khamr. If it had been impure, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have ordered its owner to wash it. This is evidence.
Another piece of evidence is that when the prohibition of khamr was revealed, the Companions poured out their khamr in the markets of Madinah, and it is not reported that they washed the vessels afterward. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge.
The Shaykh : Perfume that contains alcohol?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is divided into two categories. The first category is when the alcohol content is negligible and has no effect, such as being five percent, three percent, or one percent. In this case, there is no harm in using it, because this proportion is small and has no effect.
The second category is when the proportion is large, such as fifty percent. Scholars have differed on the permissibility of using this type. Some said it is permissible, arguing that it was not intended for intoxication but rather for fragrance. They also stated that what we are certain is forbidden is drinking intoxicants, and this man did not drink it. They cited the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(90) O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. (91) Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا إِنَّمَا الخَمرُ وَالمَيسِرُ وَالأَنصابُ وَالأَزلامُ رِجسٌ مِن عَمَلِ الشَّيطانِ فَاجتَنِبوهُ لَعَلَّكُم تُفلِحونَ * إِنَّما يُريدُ الشَّيطانُ أَن يوقِعَ بَينَكُمُ العَداوَةَ وَالبَغضاءَ فِي الخَمرِ وَالمَيسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُم عَن ذِكرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاةِ فَهَل أَنتُم مُنتَهونَSome scholars said one should not use it as a fragrance due to the generality of His saying:
So avoid it.
فَاجتَنِبوهُIn my view, if one uses it as a fragrance, he does not commit a sin, but the precaution is not to use it, and praise be to Allah, there is plenty of other fragrance available.
This is regarding using it as a fragrance or not. As for purity and impurity, these perfumes containing alcohol are pure, no matter how high the proportion is, because there is no evidence from the Qur'an, the Sunnah, or the practice of the Companions that khamr (intoxicants) is ritually impure. If no evidence indicates its impurity, the original state is purity until evidence of impurity is established. The prohibition of something does not necessarily mean it is ritually impure; something may be forbidden without being impure. Harmful things are forbidden even if they are not impure. For example, poison is forbidden but not impure. Eating things that worsen an illness, such as sweets for a diabetic, is forbidden but not impure. Indeed, Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said that if a person fears harm from lawful food because he fills his stomach excessively or fears indigestion, then that lawful food becomes forbidden.
The important point is that the prohibition of something does not necessarily mean it is ritually impure. There is no doubt that khamr is forbidden, but it is not impure because there is no evidence of its impurity. The listener and the one hearing this knows that prohibition does not imply that the forbidden thing is impure. In fact, there is positive evidence that it is not impure. This is what is established in Sahih Muslim: a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with a vessel of khamr he had gifted to him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
It has been made forbidden.
إنها حرّمتWhat did he whisper to you?
بم ساررته؟When Allah forbids something, He forbids its price.
إن الله إذا حرّم شيئا حرّم ثمنهAnother piece of evidence is that when the prohibition of khamr was revealed, the Companions poured out their khamr in the markets of Madinah, and it is not reported that they washed the vessels afterward. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge.