Alcoholic drinks (wine, beer, spirits)

Is alcohol halal?

Not halal

Not halal. Drinking alcohol is forbidden in every school, in small amounts as in large.

Not halal means the four Sunni schools and the halal certifiers treat it as forbidden. Where a minority view exists, it is named below.

What it is and where it comes from

The Quran forbids intoxicants (5:90). The Prophet said "every intoxicant is khamr, and every khamr is forbidden" (Muslim) and "what intoxicates in a large amount, a small amount of it is forbidden" (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). This covers wine, beer, cider, spirits and liqueurs.

Where you find it

Drinks, and food made with them: wine sauces, desserts with liqueur, rum cakes and pralines.

What to look for on the label

Look for wine, beer, rum, brandy, liqueur, kirsch, sherry, marsala and the word alcohol. For tiny amounts in flavourings, see alcohol in flavouring.

This is a guide, not a fatwa. Recipes change, so check the label, look for halal certification, and ask your local imam where scholars differ.

Related

All ingredients and E-numbers

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