Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

hey brother

i was having a conversation with some of my mates and some said that muslims are allowed to drink wine as it is nothing but derived from grapes and they also said that we can have wine that says its non alcoholic....is this true?

hope to hear from u soon

laterz 

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Answer:

Drink wine

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 90-91:

O you who have believed! ‘Khamr’ (all types of intoxicants), games of chance, idols, and divining arrows are all abominable works of Shaitaan; therefore, stay (far) away from these so that you may attain success. Indeed, Shaitaan seeks to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of ‘khamr’ (intoxicants) and gambling, and to prevent you from the Remembrance of Allah and from Salaah. Will you not, then, abstain from these things?

Allah Subhanah in the above aayah clearly declares that ‘khamr’ or all types of intoxicants are the abominable works of Shaitaan, and commands the believers to stay far away from them! The term used by Allah in the Quran to guide the believers to stay away is ‘fajj-tanebu’, commanding the believers that this ‘khamr’ is so hated by Allah for the believers, that they not only should abstain from consuming it, they should stay far away from it! Some scholars have opined that the term ‘fajj-tanebu’ is stronger than the term ‘haraam’, and a believer who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, must not even put himself in a position that he sits with those who consume intoxicants!

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have declared several things haraam (like the flesh of swine, dead animals, gold and silk for the male believers, etc.), but nowhere has it been mentioned that we cannot go near them! But for intoxicants, gambling, idols, and divining arrows… so despised are these acts in the Sight of Allah, that He has commanded the believers to stay far away from it!!!

Your Question: i was having a conversation with some of my mates and some said that muslims are allowed to drink wine as it is nothing but derived from grapes

If the drink is simple unfermented grape juice or a derivative thereof which does not intoxicate, then it would not be classified as ‘khamr’ or intoxicant and this drink would be absolutely lawful for the believers to consume, if they wish to do so.

But if any amount of the drink intoxicates, regardless of whether it is derived from grapes or any other material, that drink would be classified as ‘khamr’ or intoxication and would be absolutely unlawful for the believers to consume or approach this drink.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3672 Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr (alcohol, wine, etc.), and every intoxicant is haraam.”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3679 Narrated by Aisha

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: “Every intoxicant is haraam; if a quantity of anything causes intoxication, a handful of it is (also) haraam.”

Your Question: they also said that we can have wine that says its non alcoholic....is this true?
Beloved brother, the real issue is not whether a drink is named ‘wine’, or ‘beer’, etc.; as long the consumption of that drink or product intoxicates the consumer, that drink would be deemed as unlawful for the believers to consume or approach.

But if a particular drink is non-alcoholic and assigned the named ‘wine’ and its consumption does not intoxicate the one who drinks it, such a drink would be absolutely lawful for the believers to consume, if they wish to do so.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan