What is the ruling on using perfumes that contain cologne or a percentage of alcohol?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is the ruling on using perfumes that contain cologne?
The Shaykh : Regarding what?
The questioner : As for cologne, it is the spray-type perfumes.
The Shaykh : Regarding perfumes that are said to contain cologne or alcohol, we must distinguish between them. We say: if the percentage of alcohol is small, it does not cause harm, and a person should use it without feeling any anxiety, such as if the percentage is five percent, two percent, or one percent; this has no effect.
As for when the percentage is large enough to have an effect, it is better that a person not use it except out of necessity, such as disinfecting wounds or the like. As for using it without necessity, it is better not to use it. We do not say that it is forbidden, because this large percentage is at most what we say is intoxicating. There is no doubt that drinking what is intoxicating is forbidden by explicit text and scholarly consensus. But is its use in other than drinking permissible? This is a matter of consideration, and the precaution is not to use it. I said it is a matter of consideration because Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90-91] If we look at the generality of His saying: we take the generality and say that intoxicants are to be avoided in all cases, whether as a drink, as an ointment, or otherwise. And if we look at the operative cause: [Al-Ma'idah 5:91] it becomes clear that what is prohibited is only its drinking, because merely applying it as an ointment does not lead to this.
So the summary now is that we say: if the percentage of alcohol or cologne in this perfume is small, there is nothing wrong with it, no issue with it, and no anxiety about it. If it is large, it is better to avoid it except out of necessity, and necessity is such as when a person needs to disinfect a wound or the like.
The Shaykh : Regarding what?
The questioner : As for cologne, it is the spray-type perfumes.
The Shaykh : Regarding perfumes that are said to contain cologne or alcohol, we must distinguish between them. We say: if the percentage of alcohol is small, it does not cause harm, and a person should use it without feeling any anxiety, such as if the percentage is five percent, two percent, or one percent; this has no effect.
As for when the percentage is large enough to have an effect, it is better that a person not use it except out of necessity, such as disinfecting wounds or the like. As for using it without necessity, it is better not to use it. We do not say that it is forbidden, because this large percentage is at most what we say is intoxicating. There is no doubt that drinking what is intoxicating is forbidden by explicit text and scholarly consensus. But is its use in other than drinking permissible? This is a matter of consideration, and the precaution is not to use it. I said it is a matter of consideration because Allah the Exalted said:
(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?
إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنْصَابُ وَالْأَزْلامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ * إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاةِ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَSo avoid it.
فَاجْتَنِبُوهُSatan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِSo the summary now is that we say: if the percentage of alcohol or cologne in this perfume is small, there is nothing wrong with it, no issue with it, and no anxiety about it. If it is large, it is better to avoid it except out of necessity, and necessity is such as when a person needs to disinfect a wound or the like.