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Are perfumes that contain alcohol impure and must be removed, or are they forbidden but not impure? And is asking about this considered seeking out dispensations?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Some scholars, including Ibn Uthaymeen, have held the view that alcohol contained in perfumes is pure. Their reasoning is that there is no evidence in the Quran, Sunnah, or the practice of the Companions to suggest that intoxicants (khamr) are impure. The default ruling for things is purity unless there is proof of impurity, and the prohibition of something does not necessarily mean it is impure. Among the evidences for its purity is that intoxicants were spilled in the markets when they were prohibited, and a man spilled a container of intoxicants in the presence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, without him ordering it to be washed. As for blameworthy pursuit of concessions (tattabbu' al-rukhas), it refers to adopting scholarly concessions based on personal desires without regard for evidence or preponderant opinions.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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