Firstly, vanilla is a plant from climbing plants that have small seeds used in a special way to give flavor to food. Its preparation method requires soaking it in water and alcohol, and then using it in ice cream, chocolate, and other foods.
Secondly, scholars, both late and early, have differed regarding the impurity of alcohol, while they all agree on its prohibition. Their opinions are as follows:
1- The first opinion is the majority’s view that alcohol is impure and it is not permissible to mix it with food, medicine, or anything else. They based their opinion on the apparent meaning of the Quran and some Ḥadīths:
– “O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.” [Al-Māʼidah 5:90] They believe that defilement refers to impurity.
– “Say, “I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine – for indeed, it is impure”” [Al-ʼAnʽām 6:145]
– Al-Bukhāriy narrated from Abī Thaʽlabah al-Khushaniy who said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Prophet of God, we are in a land belonging to folk who are people of the Book, so may we eat out of their vessels? In a hunting region I hunt with my bow, my dog which is not trained and my dog which is trained, so what is right for me?” He replied, “Regarding what you have mentioned about the vessels of the people of the Book, if you can get anything else do not eat out of them, but if you cannot, wash them and eat out of them. Eat what you catch with your bow when you have mentioned God’s name; eat what you catch by your trained dog when you have mentioned God’s name; and eat what you catch by your untrained dog when you are present at the kill.”
The prophet’s statement: “wash them” goes for their usage of vessels in prohibited things such as drinking wine and eating pork.
2- The second opinion is that alcohol is pure in its essence, but it is prohibited to use, similar to venom which is pure in its essence but prohibited to use. This is the view of Rabīʽah, Al-Layth ibn Saʽd, Al-Muzaniy, some Shāfiʽiys, and others. This opinion was also chosen by Sheikh Ibn ʽUthaymīn, one of the scholars of the Two Holy Mosques.
They based their view on what was reported that when the prohibition of alcohol was revealed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded them to spill it out in the streets. If it was impure, he would not have allowed it to be spilled out in the streets. On the other side, he prohibited urinating in the streets due to the impurity of urine.
Likewise, the fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not command the Companion who reported the previous Ḥadīth to wash the container from the alcohol, but rather only commanded him to spill it out, is another evidence for the purity of alcohol. If it was impure, the principle of not delaying clarification when needed would have required him to clarify its impurity at that time.
The opinion we choose is the second one, that alcohol is prohibited but not impure in its essence, due to the evidence supporting this view.
Thirdly, mixing some food items with alcohol is a branch of the concept of purity and impurity. Those who believe that alcohol is impure in essence prohibit the use of anything that has been mixed with it, whether it is food, medicine, or perfume. Those who do not consider alcohol impure look at the amount used. If it is a significant amount that predominates the substance or leads to intoxication when consumed, then this type is also prohibited.
However, if the amount of alcohol is small and does not affect the essence of the processed substance and does not predominate it, some scholars have allowed it. This includes some scholars from Al-Azhar and some Fiqh councils, especially if it is related to medicine. For example, in Jordan, 1986 A.D./1407 A.H., the Islamic Fiqh Council issued a fatwa allowing the use of medicine even if it contained up to 25% alcohol. This view is also held by Sheikh Ibn ʽUthaymīn, one of the scholars of the Two Holy Mosques, and many others.
Our chosen view is that consuming foods that contain vanilla extract is permissible based on the previous description because the percentage is small and does not lead to intoxication. We also hold the view that alcohol is pure in essence but prohibited to use, which is the view of some Mālikiy scholars, Al-Muzaniy from the Shāfiʽiys and Ẓāhiriys, Al-Layth, Rabīʽah, and was chosen by Ash-Shawkāniy, Siddīq Ḥasan Khān, Aṣ-Ṣanʽāniy, Sheikh Rashīd Riḍā, Sheikh Shākir, the prominent scholar in the last century, our great scholar, Aṭ-Ṭāhir ibn ʽAāshūr, Dr. Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwiy, Dr. Nazīh Ḥammād, and many others.
After all, Allah knows best.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr