The Ruling on Alcohol-Free Beverages, Juices, and Beer

A message was received by the program from one of the listening brothers. He says: Abu Mus'ab, Abu Mus'ab is asking about several matters—Your Eminence—among which he says: There are people who say that Pepsi is forbidden to drink because of the caffeine in it; and also apple juice, even though the box says "apple juice only"; and also beer, even though it says on it "alcohol-free"; and also Kaffir; and also cheese. Please issue a ruling for us, may Allah reward you, for we live among people for whom all of this is forbidden and not permissible to drink or eat. What is the opinion of the Shari'ah first? And also your opinion frankly. The address is directed to you, Your Eminence, specifically. What is your frank opinion of these things? And it would be desirable if a booklet were issued from Your Eminence clarifying these things, which have become a matter where everyone issues a ruling based on his own opinion, and also based on analogy according to his own whim and desire. May Allah reward you with good?
Answer: As for Pepsi, juice, and beer, there is no harm in them, and they do not contain any alcohol, meaning: any intoxicant. There is no harm in drinking them. In the past, about ten years ago, or rather more than twenty years approximately, there were competitions between some companies in this regard. Some companies wrote that there was some alcohol, some intoxicant, in Pepsi and its derivatives. Then, after investigation, nothing of that was established. So it is pure, and people have continued to consume it and drink a lot of it, and none of them were affected by it, neither becoming intoxicated nor drowsy. So the claim that it is prohibited is a claim with no basis and no justification.
Likewise, regarding beer, we asked the experts about it, and they stated that it is pure. However, there is some beer abroad in which it is said that there is something intoxicating. So the believer should be wary of what is said to be intoxicating, if it is in foreign countries, and be wary of drinking it. And what is here is known not to be intoxicating. Some people have claimed that it contains a little, like one and a half or one percent of intoxicant, but this has not been established with us.
And the rule is: that what is intoxicating in large quantity, its small quantity is forbidden. So it has not been established with us that it contains anything of what is intoxicating in large quantity. So the original ruling for it is permissibility and lawfulness. Likewise, juice from apples or oranges or honey or grapes or from anything else. Juice from grapes or apples or oranges or otherwise, there is no harm in it if it does not become strong. These existing things that do not have strength, but are pure from strength and pure from intoxication, there is no harm in them.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to have raisins and other things brewed for him for one day, two days, or three days, and he would drink that. When the third day was completed, some people would pour it out or discard it, fearing that it would become strong and ferment. So any juice or wine that has not become strong is lawful for us. And if something is added to it that prevents it from becoming strong, whether in the juice or in the wine, it remains lawful; because it is only forbidden by becoming strong and fermenting. So if this cause is not present, it remains on its original state, which is permissibility.
As for cheese and the like, this has been spoken about. It has been said that it contains something from pork. We wrote to the Ministry of Commerce regarding this, and the Ministry responded that this has been tested in several laboratories, and that everything found in the Kingdom is pure from what is said to contain something from pork. And the laboratories at the Ministry have taken care of this matter and did not find in it anything of what people claim. And the original ruling for foods is permissibility until their prohibition is known. Likewise, the original ruling for cheese is permissibility until its prohibition is known, just as the original ruling for the foods of the Jews and Christians is permissibility until their prohibition is known.
The Ministry has stated that all meat imported into the Kingdom is taken care of, and efforts are made to ensure its purity. There are those who take care of this on the part of the Ministry in the countries from which the meat is imported. So we ask Allah to increase them in success, and we continue to have contact and care with them until the problem is resolved, if Allah wills.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. Our brother's request, Your Eminence, for the issuance of a booklet on this topic, perhaps it will suffice...
The Shaykh: This, if Allah wills, we will look into it, and perhaps it will be facilitated, if Allah wills, soon.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.