Fatwa ID: 07030

Answered by: Muftiyah Aabedah Khatun 

Question:

Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf held the opinion that alcohol which is not khamr (derived from grapes, dates and raisins) is permissible as long as the person does not get intoxicated and the later hanafi’s (not Abu Hanifa himself) added that it must not be used in vain but can be drunk to gain strength for work or worship or to digest food, so hypothetically if someone drank a glass of apple cider with their dinner and that glass will definitely not intoxicate them and nor do they intend to be intoxicated then will the drink be lawful to consume in such a situation?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

Answer:

Khamr which translates into ‘intoxicants’ is completely haram when it is derived from grapes and dates etc. However, when alcohol is not derived from grapes and dates but from other sources including synthetic then it is permissible. For this, some scholars say that it is also impermissible and some other scholars say that it should not be used as an intoxicant or be used in a way which causes intoxication (consuming in large amounts continuously).

(Badai Sinai – volume 6 – page 471 – Darul Kutub Ilmiyah)

If the Apple Cider you are referring to does not contain alcohol from dates and grapes then it would be permissible to consume in reasonable amounts.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Muftiyah Aabedah Khatun

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham