Should beer containing alcohol be prohibited under the principle of blocking the means to harm?
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The questioner : As for beer that does not contain alcohol, should we not prohibit it under the principle of blocking the means to harm? Because its name is exactly the same as that of intoxicants. Also, they may want to lure Muslims so that eventually they drink it once they become accustomed to this name and this beverage. They may also gradually introduce some alcohol into it, leading Muslims to that.
The Shaykh : This falls under the principle of blocking the means to harm. If the governments had prohibited it in the first place, that would have been good. But if it exists and does not intoxicate—even if a person drinks a lot of it—we cannot say it is forbidden. This returns to general policy. If the rulers in Islamic countries cut this off and said, "We do not want it to enter our countries," because, as I said, people may become accustomed to it, become lax, and gradually move toward intoxicants.
The Shaykh : This falls under the principle of blocking the means to harm. If the governments had prohibited it in the first place, that would have been good. But if it exists and does not intoxicate—even if a person drinks a lot of it—we cannot say it is forbidden. This returns to general policy. If the rulers in Islamic countries cut this off and said, "We do not want it to enter our countries," because, as I said, people may become accustomed to it, become lax, and gradually move toward intoxicants.