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Fatwa CenterInvestigating/researching a matter too much
Question
Some people keep on investigating how a particular food is made. For example, if cake contains alcohol, etc. But one scholar is of the opinion that we should not investigate too much. According to him one companion, may Allaah be pleased with him, said that when a particular oil was bought which may contain pig fat Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said if you doubt a particular food contain Haraam you should not investigate too much and we can eat it. Only if we are 100% sure that food is mixed with Haraam that we cannot eat it. Which opinion is correct?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Alcohol that intoxicates is impure according to the view of the majority of the Muslim scholars 
and it is unlawful to consume the food that is mixed with impure things.
Having established that, the ruling concerning the search to find out whether a given food or drink contains alcohol depends on situations and countries. For example, if it is known that a given country mixes its manufactured food or drinks with alcohol very often or with other prohibited substance, then one should be very cautious and make sure that whatever manufactured food or drink he consumes does not contain any prohibited substance. But if that country is not known to add alcohol or other prohibited ingredients to its manufactured foods and drinks then one does not need to investigate them based on their general practice.
Now, if a person has some doubts about any of these products and avoids them, then it is better because the Prophet, , said: “Leave that which you doubt about to that which you do not doubt about.”
As for the Hadeeth you referred to in the question, we do not know who reported it and we could not find it in the references we have despite their diversity and huge number. No one should say that the Prophet said something unless he is certain that he actually said it or at least be sure that he refers to the compiled collections of Prophetic Ahadeeth like Sunan, Massanid,…etc,.
Allaah Knows best.
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