Question:

Is wine vinegar Halal?

The Fatwa

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Answer

The Fiqh of the Answer

Wine vinegar is a type of vinegar made from the fermentation of wine. During this process, the ethanol (alcohol) in the wine is converted into acetic acid by acetic acid bacteria, giving the vinegar its characteristic sharp, tangy flavour. This process is known as acetification. The quality and flavour of wine vinegar are influenced by the type of wine used—whether red, white, or rosé—and its aging process. Red wine vinegar, for example, tends to have a more robust flavour, while white wine vinegar is typically lighter and more delicate. Both types are commonly used in cooking, especially in dressings, marinades, and sauces.

Imam al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH) states that the transformation of wine into vinegar is valid according to all of our Imams, and that when the wine becomes vinegar, it becomes pure.[i] Imam Ibn al-Humām (d.861 AH) states that the Imams are unanimous on the Istiḥālah of alcohol into vinegar through acetification. Imam al-Sarakhsī (d. 483 AH) affirms that acetification of alcohol and its transformation into vinegar is deemed acceptable and valid according to the Imams of the Madhhab.[ii].

Imam al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH) articulates an Aṣl (principle), that one cannot use or benefit from actual Najāsah, like blood and wine.[iii] Hence, Ibn Māzah al-Bukhārī (d.616 AH) states that it is not permissible to use and benefit from something which is Najis al-ʿayn, such as a swine and all its parts.[iv]

The three Imams of the Madhhab are in unanimous agreement that wine becomes purified when it transforms into vinegar. This is based on a Naṣ, as cited by Imam al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH).[v] The transformation of wine into vinegar is known as Istiḥālah, during which the impurity is removed (Izālah). As a result, the wine, which was once impure, is rendered pure through this process, making the vinegar permissible for consumption.

And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best

Maulana Inaamul Hasan Chothia
Trainee Mufti

Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Faraz Adam

Darul Iftaa Muadh ibn Jabal
www.darulfiqh.com

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[i] قال أصحابنا: ِفي جواز التخليل للخمر جائز، وإذا خللها طهرت. ( التجريد)

[ii] واصل المسألة ان تخليل الخمر بالعلاج جائز عندنا، وتحل تناول الخل بعد التحليل(المبسوط)

[iii] ولو كان كأعيان النجاسات لم يجز الانتفاع به بحال، كالدم والخمر. (التجريد)

[iv] وإنما لم يجز الانتفاع بعظم الخنزير والآدمي؛ أما الخنزير فلأنه نجس العين بجميع أجزائه، والانتفاع بالنجس حرام، وأما الآدمي فقد قال بعض مشايخنا: إنه لم يجز الانتفاع بأجزائه لنجاسته، وقال بعضهم: لم يجز الانتفاع به لكرامته وهو الصحيح، فإن الله تعالى كرم بني آدم وفضلهم على سائر الأشياء، وفي الانتفاع بأجزائه نوع إهانة به. (المحيط)

[v] ١٣٨١٧ – لنا في جواز التخليل: قوله تعالى: ﴿ ومن ثمرات النخيل والأعناب تتخذون منه سكرا ورزقا حسنا.﴾

قال ابن عباس: (الرزق الحسن الخل)، ولم يفصل، فدلت الآية على إباحة التخليل وإباحة خل الخمر بكل حال.

١٣٨١٨ – فإن قيل: إنما أباح الله تعالى الخل المتخذ من الثمار، وذلك مباح، والخلاف في الخل المتخذ من الخمر تتخذ من الثمار، لأنه يصير أولا خمرا فيعالج حتى يصير خلا. وفي حديث ميمونة أن النبي ﷺ قال في جلد الميتة: (الدباغ يحللها كما تخلل الخمر فيحل)، وذكر الدارقطني (كما يحل الخل الخمر).

١٣٨١٩ – قالوا: اجمعنا على ترك ظاهره، لان الخل لا يحلها، وإنما تحل باستحالتها.

١٣٨٢٠ – قلنا: فإذا الخل حللها، لأنها لما استحالت إليه حلت، ولو استحالت إلى غيره لم تحل