Shampoos containing alcohol
25-12-2005 | IslamWeb
Question:
Is it Halaal in Islam to use perfumes if it has alcohol in it? Also, what about shampoos that may have alcohol- it that also allowed?
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. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
We have already issued Fatwa 81246 clarifying that it is forbidden to use perfume which contains intoxicants, according to the view of the majority of the scholars
because intoxicants that cause drunkenness are impure, so please refer to the above Fatwa.
The same ruling applies to the soap and other similar products that contain intoxicants that cause drunkenness and which are used in washing the hair, because it is not permissible to benefit from an impurity, and a person cannot benefit from a product that is mixed with an impurity. The scholars stated this.
One of the Maaliki books reads: 'It is permissible to benefit from something [a product or else] which contains impure ingredients but which is not an impurity in itself, in other than the mosque and for other than the benefits of the human being.' However, some jurists are of the view that it is permissible to use soap which contains some impure ingredients; this is the view of the Hanafi and Shaafi'ee schools. Ar-Ramli
from the Shaafi'ee school said about the soap that is produced from oil that is mixed with an impurity: 'It is permissible for a person to use this soap to wash his body and clothes.' Then he mentioned: 'and then he purifies them (i.e. by rinsing them with water).' -It is understood from his statement that he means-as long as they are impure.
Finally, it should be mentioned that it is better to avoid using this kind of soap in order to avoid the difference of opinion, as a Muslim is required to be pure and stay away from impurities or impure items.
Also, not every chemical ingredient called 'Alcohol' refers to intoxicants.
Allaah Knows best.