Usage Of Products Containing Cetostearyl Alcohol
Question
Is cetostearyl alcohol permissible to use in creams?
Answer
Cetearyl alcohol also known as cetostearyl alcohol or cetylstearyl is not alcohol in the true sense. It is an emulsifier prepared by combining fatty alcohols that are derived from vegetable oils like palm oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter or Shea butter. The process of fermentation is not used in its formation. Cetostearyl alcohol is made by combining Cetyl and Stearyl alcohols. It helps in binding the oils and water in personal care products. It has no intoxicating effects and is not consumable in the original form. It is a solid mass, a white wax like substance.
As long as the Stearyl alcohol used to produce Cetostearyl alcohol is not produced from steric acid using non-Halaal animal fat, it would be permissible to use it in cosmetic products. The source of the Cetostearyl alcohol would have to be thus determined for each product individually in order to ascertain whether it is permissible to use. Until the source is not established and doubt remains with regard to its source (which could be non-Halaal fat), we would advise that you abstain from using it.
The rule of thumb would thus be; “when in doubt, abstain!”
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
(وَحُرِّمَ قَلِيلُهَا وَكَثِيرُهَا) بِالْإِجْمَاعِ (لِعَيْنِهَا) أَيْ لِذَاتِهَا وَفِي قَوْله تَعَالَى : – {إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ} [المائدة: ٩٠] – الْآيَةَ عَشْرُ دَلَائِلَ عَلَى حُرْمَتِهَا مَبْسُوطَةٌ فِي الْمُجْتَبى وَغَيْرِهِ (وَهِيَ نَجِسَةٌ نَجَاسَةً مُغَلَّظَةً كَالْبَوْلِ وَيَكْفُرُ مُسْتَحِلُّهَا وَسَقَطَ تَقَوُّمُهَا فِي حَقِّ الْمُسْلِمِ لَا مَالِيَّتُهَا) فِي الْأَصَحَ (وَحَرُمَ الِانْتِفَاعُ بِهَا) وَلَوْ لِسَقْيِ دَوَابَّ أَوْ لِطِينٍ أَوْ نَظَرٍ لِلتَّلَقِي، أَوْ دَوَاءٍ أَوْ دُهْنٍ أَوْ طَعَامٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا لِتَخْلِيلٍ أَوْ لِخَوْفِ عَطَشٍ بِقَدْرِ الضَّرُورَةِ فَلَوْ زَادَ فَسَكِرَ حُدَّ مُجْتَبى
((شامي ج ٦ ص ٤٤٨)
وَقَالَ فِي الْجَامِعِ الصَّغِيرِ : وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ الْأَشْرِبَةِ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ ) قَالُوا : هَذَا الْجَوَابُ عَلَى هَذَا الْعُمُومِ وَالْبَيَانِ لَا يُوجَدُ فِي غَيْرِهِ ، وَهُوَ نَضٌ عَلَى أَنَّ مَا يُتَّخَذُ مِنْ الْحِنْطَةِ وَالشَّعِيرِ وَالْعَسَلِ وَالدُّرَةِ حَلَالٌ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ ، وَلَا يُحَدُّ شَارِبُهُ عِنْدَهُ وَإِنْ سَكِرَ مِنْهُ ، وَعَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ أَنَّهُ حَرَامٌ وَيُحَدُّ شَارِبُهُ وَيَقَعُ طَلَاقُهُ إِذَا سَكِرَ مِنْهُ كَمَا فِي سَائِرِ الْأَشْرِبَةِ الْمُحَرَّمَةِ
(البناية فى شرح الهداية ص ١٠٤ ج ١٥)
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Cetearyl_alcohol
https://www.albalagh.net/letters/synthetic_alcohols.shtml
http://colinsbeautypages.co.uk/cetearyl-alcohol/
- Approved by
- Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
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