Fatwa ID: 09073
Answered by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Question:
Assalamu Alaykum,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to seek a fatwa regarding the permissibility of using a deodorant containing Triethyl Citrate.
I have conducted due diligence by contacting the manufacturer directly, who provided the following clarification:
“The triethyl citrate that we use is produced from 100% bio-based raw materials. The ethanol involved is obtained via fermentation of renewable plant-derived sugars, rather than petrochemical synthesis. It is not specifically derived from fruits such as grapes or dates, but from standard fermentation feedstocks used for bioethanol production.”
For further context, the product is:
- A deodorant (not ingested).
- Vegan certified.
- Confirmed ethanol-free in its Parfum by the manufacturer.
- The Triethyl Citrate is formed via esterification of the bioethanol with citric acid, resulting in a chemically transformed compound.
My understanding is that this may fall under the principle of istiḥālah (complete transformation), however I wanted to seek a qualified scholarly opinion before using the product with confidence.
JazakAllah Khayran for your time. I look forward to your guidance.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Triethyl citrate (also known as E1505, ethyl citrate and citric acid ethyl ester) is a foam stabiliser and emulsifier which can be found in products such as deodorants and pharmaceutical coatings. Triethyl citrate is derived from citric acid (which is an odourless white solid), often using ethanol. Due to the esterification, triethyl citrate becomes an odourless, colourless liquid, and the ethanol does not remain in its intoxicating form in the compound. All four sunni madhabs grade triethyl citrate as halal, and in the Hanafi madhab, the chemical transformation to triethyl citrate from citric acid and ethanol has been considered to be of a significant extent, and as such is considered halal.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triethyl_citrate
ثُمَّ هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةُ قَدْ فَرَّعُوهَا عَلَى قَوْلِ مُحَمَّدٍ بِالطَّهَارَةِ بِانْقِلَابِ الْعَيْنِ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى وَاخْتَارَهُ أَكْثَرُ الْمَشَايِخِ خِلَافًا لِأَبِي يُوسُفَ كَمَا فِي شَرْحِ الْمُنْيَةِ وَالْفَتْحِ وَغَيْرِهِمَا. وَعِبَارَةُ الْمُجْتَبَى: جَعْلُ الدُّهْنِ النَّجِسِ فِي صَابُونٍ يُفْتَى بِطَهَارَتِهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ تَغَيَّرَ وَالتَّغَيُّرُ يُطَهِّرُ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَيُفْتَى بِهِ لِلْبَلْوَى… قَالَ: وَعَلَيْهِ يَتَفَرَّعُ مَا لَوْ وَقَعَ إنْسَانٌ أَوْ كَلْبٌ فِي قِدْرِ الصَّابُونِ فَصَارَ صَابُونًا يَكُونُ طَاهِرًا لِتَبَدُّلِ الْحَقِيقَةِ. اهـ
ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْعِلَّةَ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ هِيَ التَّغَيُّرُ وَانْقِلَابُ الْحَقِيقَةِ وَأَنَّهُ يُفْتَى بِهِ لِلْبَلْوَى كَمَا عُلِمَ مِمَّا مَرَّ، وَمُقْتَضَاهُ عَدَمُ اخْتِصَاصِ ذَلِكَ الْحُكْمِ بِالصَّابُونِ، فَيَدْخُلُ فِيهِ كُلُّ مَا كَانَ فِيهِ تَغَيُّرٌ وَانْقِلَابُ حَقِيقَةٍ وَكَانَ فِيهِ بَلْوَى عَامَّةٌ، فَيُقَالُ: كَذَلِكَ فِي الدِّبْسِ الْمَطْبُوخِ إذَا كَانَ زَبِيبُهُ مُتَنَجِّسًا وَلَا سِيَّمَا أَنَّ الْفَأْرَ يَدْخُلُهُ فَيَبُولُ وَيَبْعَرُ فِيهِ وَقَدْ يَمُوتُ فِيهِ، وَقَدْ بَحَثَ كَذَلِكَ بَعْضُ شُيُوخِ مَشَايِخِنَا فَقَالَ: وَعَلَى هَذَا إذَا تَنَجَّسَ السِّمْسِمُ ثُمَّ صَارَ طَحِينَةً يَطْهُرُ، خُصُوصًا وَقَدْ عَمَّتْ بِهِ الْبَلْوَى وَقَاسَهُ عَلَى مَا إذَا وَقَعَ عُصْفُورٌ فِي بِئْرٍ حَتَّى صَارَ طِينًا لَا يَلْزَمُ إخْرَاجُهُ لِاسْتِحَالَتِهِ
قُلْت: لَكِنْ قَدْ يُقَالُ: إنَّ الدِّبْسَ لَيْسَ فِيهِ انْقِلَابُ حَقِيقَةٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ عَصِيرٌ جَمَدَ بِالطَّبْخِ؛ وَكَذَا السِّمْسِمُ إذَا دُرِسَ وَاخْتَلَطَ دُهْنُهُ بِأَجْزَائِهِ فَفِيهِ تَغَيُّرُ وَصْفٍ فَقَطْ؛ كَلَبَنٍ صَارَ جُبْنًا، وَبُرٍّ صَارَ طَحِينًا، وَطَحِينٍ صَارَ خُبْزًا؛ بِخِلَافِ نَحْوِ خَمْرٍ صَارَ خَلًّا وَحِمَارٍ وَقَعَ فِي مَمْلَحَةٍ فَصَارَ مِلْحًا، وَكَذَا دُرْدِيُّ خَمْرٍ صَارَ طِرْطِيرًا وَعَذِرَةٌ صَارَتْ رَمَادًا أَوْ حَمْأَةً، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ انْقِلَابُ حَقِيقَةٍ إلَى حَقِيقَةٍ أُخْرَى لَا مُجَرَّدُ انْقِلَابِ وَصْفٍ كَمَا سَيَأْتِي – وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ -… (قَوْلُهُ: لَا بَأْسَ بِالْخَبْزِ فِيهِ) أَيْ: بَعْدَ ذَهَابِ الْبَلَّةِ النَّجِسَةِ بِالنَّارِ وَإِلَّا تَنَجَّسَ كَمَا فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ. (قَوْلُهُ: ذَكَرَهُ الْحَلَبِيُّ) وَعَلَّلَهُ بِقَوْلِهِ لِاضْمِحْلَالِ النَّجَاسَةِ بِالنَّارِ وَزَوَالِ أَثَرِهَا…
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.316, Dār Al-Fiqr)
مَا أَسْكَرَ كَثِيرُهُ فَقَلِيلُهُ حَرَامٌ، وَهُوَ نَجَسٌ أَيْضًا قَالُوا: وَبِقَوْلِ مُحَمَّدٍ نَأْخُذُ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.4, pg.38, Dār Al-Fiqr)