['Aalim Network QR] Medicinal Alcohol

[Kara <m.kara@utoronto.ca>]

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|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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Salam Alaikum

The following is a question about the use of alcohol in medicinal
substances. The following is a preliminary answer from Shaykh
Soleiman-Peneh. The person wanted the reply according to Ayatullah
Khamenei. The Risala according to this Marja are not yet widely available.
However, we will continue trying to obtain a more exact answer. 

Mahmood Kara
Acting Moderator
The Alim Network

Question:

Assalamu alaykum

I am wondering about whether it is haram to ingest small quantities of
alcohol found in different remedies for illness. In particular I am
thinking of two different substances: The first is a drink called kombucha
which is the fermented result of tea and sugar, which contains about .5% -
1% alcohol (the same as a "non-alcoholic" beer), and is drunk by some
people as a tonic, liver cleanser, cure-all etc. The second is the
homeopathic remedies that can contain about 20% alcohol, of which the
person ingests only a few drops a day, to cure various ills, depending on
what the medicine is. 

Please base the answer on Ayat. Khameini's rulings.

Response:

I could not find the exact Massa'la in the selection of the replies
provided by Ayt. Khamenei to some questions asked of him. You may want to
forward your exact question to his office. But I found the following on
page 93 of the mentioned text which seems to me to be relevant to what is
asked. 

Q.321
        I make Spray Etheropin Sulphate and Alcohol is one of the main
component of its medical formula, in other words without adding the
solution of alcohol it is not possible to make the spry. As far as the
(medical) application of the spry is concerned you may want to know that
it is a weapon to save the Islamic Army against the nerve gas.  According
to you ruling, is it lawful to use alcohol in the production of the
medicine as described above? 

A. If the Alcohol is intoxicating (Musker) and fluid in its original form,
it is Najes and Haram, but its usage in medicine in some cases has no
problem (no Ishkal). 

Please be advised that according to Ayt. Khamenei for alcohol to be haram 
and najes:

1-one must be CERTAIN that
2- it is MUSKER
3- the original form of the substance be LIQUID.

with regards,

Mohammad