Fatwa ID: 07451
Answered by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Question:
I am using an anti-fungal steroid cream prescribed by my doctor, it contains glycol stearate which indicates that it may contain animal fat or either plant oils. I have tried to figure out if this cream is animal fat or plant oils and can’t figure out. If it is from animal fats would it be haram? Also, I put it on my finger and obviously touched things like my bed so are they impure?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
- Determining the Source of Glycol Stearate:
Glycol stearate is a compound that can be derived from both plant oils or animal fats. If derived from halal (permissible) sources such as plant oils or animals slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law, it would be permissible. However, if it is derived from animals that were not slaughtered in a halal manner, it could potentially be considered haram.
- Usage of Impure Substances for Medicinal Purposes:
If the cream does contain animal fats from non-halal sources, one must consider whether its use is permissible for medicinal purposes. According to the Hanafi school and other schools of thought, the use of impure or forbidden substances is generally not allowed unless there is no alternative, and it is prescribed out of necessity.
In such cases, it is permissible to use such medicines provided:
- There is no halal alternative available
- It is prescribed by a qualified doctor.
- It is necessary for health and well-being.
This is supported by the principle of darura (necessity) in Islamic law, where prohibitions may be lifted in cases of genuine need or harm.
- Purity and Impurity (Najasa):
– The application of the cream does not necessarily render things impure if it is dry or if there is no visible transfer of the substance to other objects.
In the Hanafi school, a substance is considered impure only if it is visibly transferred or if the impurity itself is moist and touches something else. If you touch objects like your bed after applying the cream and there is no visible or discernible residue of the cream, the bed will not become impure.
Practical Steps:
If possible, you should attempt to determine the source of the glycol stearate. If the source is uncertain and no clear information can be found, and if the cream is essential for your treatment and there is no halal alternative, its use may be permissible under the principle of necessity.
As for the question of impurity: unless the cream transfers visibly to other surfaces or objects, they would not be considered impure. This ruling applies as long as the substance dries or there is no physical transfer, as discussed
Therefore, If the cream contains animal fat from non-halal sources, its use for medicinal purposes is permissible under the condition of necessity, particularly if no halal alternative is available. Furthermore, items you touch after applying the cream would not become impure unless there is a visible or tangible transfer of the cream to those items.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
