What is the ruling on using perfumes containing alcohol?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. Is it permissible to use perfumes that contain alcohol?
The Shaykh : They are not impure. The most important thing is that they are not impure. If they touch the garment or the body, it is not obligatory to wash it. However, using them: if it is for a need, there is nothing wrong with it, because some of them are used to disinfect wounds. If it is not for a need, leaving them is better. There is plenty of choice in fragrances that have no doubt about them, so there is no need for them. But they are not forbidden. Do you understand?
The questioner : Shaykh, I mean, wine is an intoxicating substance. The intoxicating element in it is alcohol.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So alcohol is impure?
The Shaykh : Yes. But who told you that wine is impure? This wine is not impure, meaning it is not like urine or feces. Because Allah said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90]. Is gambling impure or not? The majority opinion is that it is not impure. The statues that are worshipped besides Allah are not impure. A person touches them, and we do not say: you must purify your hand. The lots are the same. But they are impure in a spiritual sense. This is the evidence.
Another piece of evidence: when wine was prohibited, and it was in the vessels of the Muslims, the Messenger of Allah did not say: wash them. When wine was prohibited, he said: wash the vessels.
Thirdly: when wine was prohibited, the Muslims poured it out in the markets. If it had been impure, it would have been forbidden to pour it out in the markets, just as it is forbidden to urinate in the market.
Fourthly: a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with a large skin of wine. A "rawiyyah" means a large water skin. He offered it as a gift to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He said:. He did not say to him: wash the skin. He did not say: wash it. What does this indicate? That it is pure. Because if it had been impure, it would have been obligatory to purify the skin.
Fifth piece of evidence: What is the original ruling for things? Permissibility and purity. Therefore, if a person claims against you and says: this is forbidden, say: bring the evidence. If he says: this is impure, say: bring the evidence. If he says: the evidence that wine is impure is that it is forbidden, is this valid or not? It is not valid. Because there are things that are forbidden and yet pure. Forbidden and yet pure. Poison is forbidden and it is pure. Smoking is forbidden and it is pure. So it does not follow that if something is forbidden, it must be impure. Okay, does it follow that if something is impure, it must be forbidden? Yes. Therefore we say: every impure thing is forbidden, but not every forbidden thing is impure. Do you understand now? So I say: these fragrances are not impure. I have no issue with them. As for whether they are forbidden or not? We say: if a person needs them, there is nothing wrong with it. If he does not need them, avoiding them is better. And with this, this session ends. Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and with Your praise. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You. And may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : They are not impure. The most important thing is that they are not impure. If they touch the garment or the body, it is not obligatory to wash it. However, using them: if it is for a need, there is nothing wrong with it, because some of them are used to disinfect wounds. If it is not for a need, leaving them is better. There is plenty of choice in fragrances that have no doubt about them, so there is no need for them. But they are not forbidden. Do you understand?
The questioner : Shaykh, I mean, wine is an intoxicating substance. The intoxicating element in it is alcohol.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So alcohol is impure?
The Shaykh : Yes. But who told you that wine is impure? This wine is not impure, meaning it is not like urine or feces. Because Allah said:
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
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنْصَابُ وَالْأَزْلامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِAnother piece of evidence: when wine was prohibited, and it was in the vessels of the Muslims, the Messenger of Allah did not say: wash them. When wine was prohibited, he said: wash the vessels.
Thirdly: when wine was prohibited, the Muslims poured it out in the markets. If it had been impure, it would have been forbidden to pour it out in the markets, just as it is forbidden to urinate in the market.
Fourthly: a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with a large skin of wine. A "rawiyyah" means a large water skin. He offered it as a gift to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He said:
Did you not know that it has been prohibited? A man from the Companions whispered to the owner of the skin. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: What did you whisper to him? He said: I said: sell it. He said: No. Indeed, when Allah prohibits something, He prohibits its price. The owner of the skin did nothing but open its mouth and pour it out in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
أما علمت أنها حرمت ؟ فتكلم رجل من الصحابة مع صاحب الراوية سرا قال له الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم : بم ساررته ؟ قال : قلت : بعه فقال : لا إن الله إذا حرم شيئاً حرم ثمنه فما كان من صاحب الراوية إلا أن فتح فمها وأراقها بحضرة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلمFifth piece of evidence: What is the original ruling for things? Permissibility and purity. Therefore, if a person claims against you and says: this is forbidden, say: bring the evidence. If he says: this is impure, say: bring the evidence. If he says: the evidence that wine is impure is that it is forbidden, is this valid or not? It is not valid. Because there are things that are forbidden and yet pure. Forbidden and yet pure. Poison is forbidden and it is pure. Smoking is forbidden and it is pure. So it does not follow that if something is forbidden, it must be impure. Okay, does it follow that if something is impure, it must be forbidden? Yes. Therefore we say: every impure thing is forbidden, but not every forbidden thing is impure. Do you understand now? So I say: these fragrances are not impure. I have no issue with them. As for whether they are forbidden or not? We say: if a person needs them, there is nothing wrong with it. If he does not need them, avoiding them is better. And with this, this session ends. Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and with Your praise. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You. And may Allah bless you.