419. Can I Use Health And Beauty Products That Contain Alcohol, Like Perfume, Lotion, Cream, Hand Sanitizer Etc

By Asma bint Shameem 

The health and beauty products that we use do not have to be alcohol free, according to the correct scholarly opinion. 

The only alcohol that’s *prohibited* is the kind that makes you *DRUNK*. 

And that is called “Khamr” 

So although Khamr is absolutely haraam, you can use products that contain the  *“OTHER”* kind of alcohol. 

You see, in chemistry, alcohol is NOT just ONE compound;

rather “Alcohol” is a *name* given to a *“group of compounds which are made up of Hydrogen and Oxygen-OH group.* 

So any substance that has this -OH group at the end will be chemically classified as “Alcohol”. 

Just because it’s called ‘alcohol’ it does *NOT* automatically mean that’s it’s forbidden. 

Think about it this way:

If you somehow ‘consume’ the alcohol in the perfume, shampoo, hand sanitizer or deodorant or lotion etc, you might DIE! 

But it will NEVER intoxicate you. 

That’s because alcohol and Khamr are TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT THINGS. 

OBJECTION

Isn’t alcohol Najis or impure?

No alcohol is not najis by itself. 

It’s PURE according to the CORRECT scholarly opinion 

*PROOF:*

When the final Aayaat for complete prohibition of alcohol were revealed, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam gave orders for all the alcohol that the Sahaabah possessed to be poured out and thrown out. 

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: 

“The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam was addressing people in Medina, saying

“Verily, Allaah Almighty has forbidden ‘khamr’ (wine/alcohol). Whoever knows this verse and has some of it, let him neither drink it nor sell it.” 

*So the people came out into the STREETS with what they had and POURED it out.*” (Saheeh Muslim)

So the Sahaabah poured out all their containers containing alcohol on the streets so much so that the STREETS of Madeenah were FLOWING with ALCOHOL. 

If alcohol was impure, and something ‘Najis’, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam would NEVER have asked the Sahaabah to pour out a najaasah on the streets. 

He Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did not ask them to “wash” the streets. 

Or “sprinkle water on it” 

Or “purify” their shoes. 

He did not say or do ANYTHING that would indicate that wine was impure. 

Shaikh Moosaa Richardson explains the difference between khamr and alcohol. 

He said: 

“It is important to differentiate between “khamr” 

(intoxicants) and “alcohol”.

The substance called “alcohol” is of three types:

1) That which is *deadly*, if you consume it you will die or become seriously ill.  

This is considered “summ“ (poison) and it is *permissible* to buy, sell, transport, or USE it, but NOT CONSUME it.  

You can use it when found in *mouthwash (in minute quantities), perfume (health and beauty products), bug spray*, etc., but *NOT in foods or drinks*.

2) That which INTOXICATES when consumed, a little of it or a lot, then it considered Khamr (intoxicant), and it is *NOT permissible* to buy, sell, transport, use, or consume. 

3) That which does *NOT* *INTOXICATE*,  *no matter how much of it is consumed*, then it is NOT a khamr, *rather it is HALAL*, like the small amounts of alcohol found in many foods and drinks that we eat every day. 

(Example: the small amount of alcohol in bread, orange juice, banana, etc as a  as a result of natural fermentation) 

This type is PERMISSIBLE to *buy, sell, transport, use, and consume*.

So if the type of alcohol used in your medicine or food is type #3, then you may use and/or consume it.  

If it is type #1 or #2, then NO, (you cannot INGEST it) unless the resulting product has a diluted amount, so small that it does not make the product an intoxicant, even when large amounts are consumed. 

And Allaah knows best.”

 Conclusion:

So bottom line, you can use ANY of the health and beauty products such as perfume, hand sanitizers, deodorants and antiperspirants, lotions, sunscreen etc In shaa’ Allaah, EVEN  if they contain alcohol. 

Alhamdulillaah. 

And Allaah knows best.