Most-asked question
Can I use perfume or sanitiser with alcohol?
55 fatawa in the archive answer questions on this, from 4 South African Darul Iftas (AskImam, Mufti Online, Ibn Masood, Azaadville). Below, each Darul Ifta’s answer is quoted word for word from the opening of one of its fatawa.
Based on the fatawa linked below. Please read the sources and double-check with a Darul Ifta for your situation.
Consult a mufti for your situation. Fatawa SA is a read-only archive and issues no rulings of its own.
What the Darul Iftas say
“Modern-day perfumes which are alcohol-based are made from synthetic alcohol, and not alcohol which is derived from dates and grapes. Therefore, perfumes containing synthetic alcohol are permissible for external use. As such, it is permissible to sell such perfumes.”
“It is impermissible to use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The Shari’ah only gives permission to use Haram ingredients for the treatment of sickness if there are no Halaal alternatives available. Alhamdulillah, there are alcohol-free sanitizers obtainable on the market as well as the option of homemade sanitizers.”
“If you are referring to the alcohol being used to make the oudh perfume, then the sharee ruling is that if the alcohol that was used was from besides grapes and dates and there is no impure ingredient contained in it, then it is permissible to use the perfume for external purposes.”
“The alcohol in perfumes and colognes are of two types: 1) Alcohol produced from grapes and dates. It is not permissible to use perfume and cologne containing such alcohol.”
Quotes are the opening words of each answer as published; the full answer, its conditions and references are on the fatwa page. Answers depend on the exact details of each question.
Read the fatawa
- Alcohol-Based Perfumes Ibn Masood · 22 Jul 2025
- Using Perfumes Which Contain Alcohol Azaadville · 29 Dec 2023
- Using perfume with alcohol Mufti Online · 23 Dec 2023
- Is it permissible to use perfumes that contain alcohol? AskImam · 4 Mar 2021
- Using perfumes that contain alcohol Ibn Masood · 17 Dec 2022
- Alcohol-Based Sanitizers Azaadville · 3 Aug 2021
- Performing salaah after using alcohol based hand sanitizer Mufti Online · 14 Sep 2020
- Is this type of alcohol acceptable for the hand sanitizers? AskImam · 23 Apr 2020
- Using a mouthwash containing alcohol Ibn Masood · 4 Jul 2022
- Alcohol in perfumes Mufti Online · 9 Jul 2018
- Is it permissible to use hand sanitizer containing alcohol? AskImam · 18 Apr 2020
- Using perfumes and Itr containing alcohol Ibn Masood · 6 Jan 2022
- Using false eyelashes and alcoholic perfumes Mufti Online · 3 Jan 2018
- alcohol in body creams or face washes and perfumes. Are this type of products halal to use? AskImam · 8 Dec 2019
- Perfumes with alcohol Mufti Online · 5 Nov 2014
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