Does the absence of punishment for drinking alcohol in man-made laws constitute an act of making forbidden things permissible (istihlal), even if it is not stated that drinking alcohol is permissible (halal)?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Not punishing a drunkard is not considered an act of deeming alcohol permissible unless it is accompanied by the belief that Allah has made it permissible. Deeming something permissible (istihlal) is the belief that what Allah has forbidden is in fact permissible, and this is disbelief (kufr) because it is a denial of the Sacred Law. It can also be disbelief if it is a defiant disobedience, like the act of Iblis. As for a mere sin, it is not disbelief.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/169115
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 169115
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy