Fatwa ID: 08926
Answered by: Alimah Maryam Badshah
Question:
This brand focuses on herbal medicine from the Joseon dynasty and puts them in skincare. however, medieval Koreans were mushriks, and some herbs that they used had wrong beliefs attached to them and some products’ slideshows/descriptions talk about them like seen here https://beautyofjoseon.com/products/ginseng-essence-water
The website also has this https://beautyofjoseon.com/products/glow-replenishing-rice-milk (scroll down)
i only like the brand because of the look of the products and the fact that some suit me, good alternative to pro-Israel companies, etc. Would I be committing shirk/kufr if I continued consuming this brand? Should I stop? Would this brand be imitating kafir (the ancient Koreans)?
Also there’s another brand called “skin1004,” it mentions the concept of “”mother nature”” on its website. is it shirk too? the website has more information. Do I also have to avoid this brand? they’re a really good brand and it works very well for me and my mom, should we stop? I don’t want to switch up my routine again as I have spent a lot of money finding the right things for us. I’ve done istikhara for these brands a few times and each time I felt it wasn’t shirk or kufr, and that I could use it. Their name also means “skin angel” in Korean.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
There is nothing wrong with using products that contain ingredients used by other cultures like the brands above. The first brand, “Beauty of Joseon” is a company that bases its skin-care products on Hanbang, which is traditional Korean medicine. The descriptions state the historical relevance or folklore of some key ingredients in respect to its origin country, Korea. The company is not stating their products to be part of a religious ritual. As for the “skin1004” brand, I was unable to find your reference to “mother nature” on their website, and neither could I find any religious descriptions regarding their wares.
As long as their ingredients are halal, it would be permissible for you to use these two brands as their products do not have any relation to religious rituals and your use of their products are purely for their health benefits. However, It should be kept in mind that if you or your mother personally feel inclined towards incorrect beliefs, or committing shirk or kufr due to these products, it would be incumbent upon you to stop using these products or ingredients.
References:
(وَالْإِعْطَاءُ بِاسْمِ النَّيْرُوزِ وَالْمِهْرَجَانِ لَا يَجُوزُ) أَيْ الْهَدَايَا بِاسْمِ هَذَيْنِ الْيَوْمَيْنِ حَرَامٌ (وَإِنْ قَصَدَ تَعْظِيمَهُ) كَمَا يُعَظِّمُهُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ (يَكْفُرُ) … وَلَوْ أَهْدَى لِمُسْلِمٍ وَلَمْ يُرِدْ تَعْظِيمَ الْيَوْمِ بَلْ جَرَى عَلَى عَادَةِ النَّاسِ لَا يَكْفُرُ وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ قَبْلَهُ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ نَفْيًا لِلشُّبْهَةِ وَلَوْ شَرَى فِيهِ مَا لَمْ يَشْتَرِهِ قَبْلَ إنْ أَرَادَ تَعْظِيمَهُ كَفَرَ وَإِنْ أَرَادَ الْأَكْلَ كَالشُّرْبِ وَالتَّنْعِيمِ لَا يَكْفُرُ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.6, pg.754-5, Dār Al-Fiqr)
مَا أَسْكَرَ كَثِيرُهُ فَقَلِيلُهُ حَرَامٌ، وَهُوَ نَجَسٌ أَيْضًا قَالُوا: وَبِقَوْلِ مُحَمَّدٍ نَأْخُذُ.
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.4, pg.38, Dār Al-Fiqr)
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham