Fatwa ID: 05398
Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah
Question
Is it permissible for a sick person to consume NyQuil? This medicine contains alcohol.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Nyquil contains the active ingredients acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr, doxylamine succinate, and sometimes, phenylephrine HCl. Doxylamine is the main ingredient that causes sleepiness. [1]
Nyquil Cold and Flu Nighttime Relief Liquid contains 10 percent alcohol by volume (similar to white wine). It is listed as an “inactive” ingredient and is used to help the “active” ingredients dissolve.
It is not permissible to use medicines that contain alcohol from grapes or dates extracts. Such medicines are impure.
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira ( رضى الله عنه )reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
الْخَمْرُ مِنْ هَاتَيْنِ الشَّجَرَتَيْنِ الْكَرْمَةِ وَالنَّخْلَةِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي كُرَيْبٍ الْكَرْمِ وَالنَّخْلِ
“Wine comes from vine and date-palms”.[2]
In the narration of Abu Kuraib, “Vineyard and palm trees”.
However, if the alcohol is synthetic, it is pure and permissible to use.
Likewise, if the alcohol in the cream, lotion, soap, or medicine is made from grapes or dates, it will not be permissible to use them then.
However, if the alcohol in them is made from something else, it will be permissible to use them, although it will be preferable to avoid such a product, as it is best to be safe than sorry.
Hence, it is allowed to take medications such as sleeping pills, etc. which contain alcohol when there is a necessity to do so, and this allowance is given when there are no other ‘alcohol-free’ medications available and a reliable doctor instructs one to use such medication for the recovery of an illness.
If this is not the case, then it will not be allowed to use such medicines.
Hope this answers the question.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Syed Johir Miah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/does-nyquil-make-you-sleepy#bottom-line
[2] Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1985, 1573/3, Dar IhyathTurath Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon.
