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Is Bunderberg Ginger Beer and other beverages/vinegar containing traces alcohol halal?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

AslamuAlaikum, I have two questions please,

There are some beverages which are formed by the same way as the Beer is made. With some heating process, these beverages are then made alcohol free. Even after this heating process, the beverages contain some traces of alcohol which is less than 0.5 percent. According to the law, the beverage that contains less the 0.5 percent of Alcohol can be labeled as alcohol-free because it does not intoxicate anybody. Also, it is permissible not to mention it in the ingredients of any product explicitly. One such example is ” Bundaberg Ginger Brew Alcohol-free” . I have explored the website for this beverage and it confirms less than 0.5% amount of alcohol in its alcohol-free products. 

One of my German non-Muslim friends told me that almost all the beverages and juices contain this much amount of alcohol in them and it is not written in ingredients. So please guide us whether we should avoid such beverages or we can use them if it is written alcohol-free.

My second question is related to Fatwa#: 27199 from the askimam.org website.

If I understand correctly then we can use any type of vinegar no matter whatever is its source, for example brandy vinegar, wine vinegar, apple etc.. Many of the canned stuff like fish and pickled edibles are preserved in Brandy vinegar. So please let me know if we can use them or we should refrain from such products. How can we know that a particular vinegar is alcohol-free whereas only name of vinegar is written on it and nothing about contents of alcohol? 

JazakAllah o khair

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

We have previously issued a ruling on Bunderberg Ginger Beer. The ingredients of Bunderberg Ginger Beer are; Carbonated water, cane sugar, ginger root, natural flavours, acid (citric acid), yeast, preservatives (202, 211), antioxidant (ascorbic acid). It is clear from the ingredients of Bunderberg that it is made from sugar cane and the alcohol is removed, however 0.5% of alcohol remains. In principle, alcohol produced from anything besides dates and grapes is permissible provided that the amount is so minute that it does not cause intoxication[1].

All vinegar sourced from grape and dates is permissible even though they may contain traces of alcohol in it provided that it does not lead to intoxication[2].

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Shibly bin Mizan

Student Darul Iftaa
Toronto,Canada

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

____


فتح القدير، ص ٣٩، ج ٩، رشيدية 2

وأذا تخللت الخمر حلت سواء صارت خلا بنفسها أو بشيء يطرح فيها ، ولا يكره تخليلها ) وقال الشافعي : يكره التخليل ولا يحل الخل الحاصل به إن كان التخليل بإلقاء شيء فيه قولا واحدا ، وإن كان بغير إلقاء شيء فيه فله في الخل الحاصل به قولان له أن في التخليل اقترابا من الخمر على وجه التمول ، والأمر بالاجتناب ينافيه ولنا قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم { نعم الإدام الخل } من غير فصل ، وقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام { خير خلكم خل خمركم } ولأن بالتخليل يزول الوصف المفسد وتثبت صفة الصلاح من حيث تسكين الصفراء وكسر الشهوة ، والتغذي به والإصلاح مباح ، وكذا الصالح للمصالح اعتبارا بالمتخلل بنفسه وبالدباغ والاقتراب لإعدام الفساد فأشبه الإراقة ، والتخليل أولى لما فيه من إحراز مال يصير حلالا في الثاني فيختاره من ابتلي به

 

 البحر، ص ٢١٢، ج ٨، رشيدية

(خل الخمر سواء خللت أو تخللت)  يعني خل الخمر فلا فرق في ذلك بين أن يتخلل بنفسه أو تخلل بإلقاء شيء فيه كالملح أو الخل أو النقل من الظل إلى الشمس أو بإيقاد النار بالقرب منها خلافا للشافعي إذا تخللت بإلقاء شيء فيها كالملح ولنا قوله : عليه الصلاة والسلام { نعم الإدام الخل } مطلقا فيتناول جميع صورها ولأن بالتخليل إزالة الوصف المفسد وثبات صفة الصلاح كالذبائح فالتخليل أولى لما فيه من إحراز مال يصير حلالا

فتاوي محموديه، ص ١٧٩، ج ٨     

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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