Source: Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani – Ahkām wa Masā’il: In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah
Is it permissible to use homeopathic medicines in Islam?
It is clearly evident that alcohol is used in homeopathic medicines, and alcohol is wine (khamr). Therefore, its use is not permissible.
❖ Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about wine—whether it could be turned into vinegar.
He replied: “No.”
❖ Wāʾil al-Ḥaḍramī رضي الله عنه narrated:
Ṭāriq ibn Suwayd رضي الله عنه asked the Prophet ﷺ about wine, and he forbade it.
He said: “I only prepare it for medicinal purposes.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied: “Indeed, it is not a medicine; rather, it is a disease.”
❖ Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated:
A man came from Madinah and asked the Prophet ﷺ about a drink they used to make from corn, called mizr.
The Prophet ﷺ asked: “Is it intoxicating?”
He replied: “Yes.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every intoxicant is ḥarām. Indeed, Allah has taken a covenant that whoever drinks intoxicants, He will give him to drink from Ṭīnat al-Khabāl.”
The Companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is Ṭīnat al-Khabāl?”
He ﷺ replied:
“It is the sweat and discharge of the people of Hell.”
There are numerous authentic aḥādīth conveying this meaning, all of which establish that:
✔ Alcohol (khamr) is ḥarām
✔ Using alcohol as medicine is prohibited
✔ Alcohol is not a cure, but a disease
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to use homeopathic medicines in Islam?
❖ Answer:
It is clearly evident that alcohol is used in homeopathic medicines, and alcohol is wine (khamr). Therefore, its use is not permissible.
◈ Evidence from the Sunnah:
❖ Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about wine—whether it could be turned into vinegar.
He replied: “No.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ashriba, Bāb: Taḥrīm Taḥlīl al-Khamr: 1983
❖ Wāʾil al-Ḥaḍramī رضي الله عنه narrated:
Ṭāriq ibn Suwayd رضي الله عنه asked the Prophet ﷺ about wine, and he forbade it.
He said: “I only prepare it for medicinal purposes.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied: “Indeed, it is not a medicine; rather, it is a disease.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ashriba, Bāb: Taḥrīm al-Tadāwī bil-Khamr: 1984
❖ Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated:
A man came from Madinah and asked the Prophet ﷺ about a drink they used to make from corn, called mizr.
The Prophet ﷺ asked: “Is it intoxicating?”
He replied: “Yes.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every intoxicant is ḥarām. Indeed, Allah has taken a covenant that whoever drinks intoxicants, He will give him to drink from Ṭīnat al-Khabāl.”
The Companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is Ṭīnat al-Khabāl?”
He ﷺ replied:
“It is the sweat and discharge of the people of Hell.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ashriba, Bāb: Bayān anna kulla muskir khamr wa anna kulla khamr ḥarām: 2002
◈ Principle Derived from These Aḥādīth:
There are numerous authentic aḥādīth conveying this meaning, all of which establish that:
✔ Alcohol (khamr) is ḥarām
✔ Using alcohol as medicine is prohibited
✔ Alcohol is not a cure, but a disease
Final Ruling:
- Any medicine that contains alcohol—
whether homeopathic, allopathic, or any other form—
is ḥarām to use. - Some people argue that alcohol is no longer present at the time of consumption.
The response to this is:
➤ The buying and selling of alcohol itself is forbidden.
➤ At the time of purchase, alcohol is present in the medicine.
➤ Therefore, both purchasing and consuming such medicine are unlawful.
