- EN (English)
Fatwa ID: | 87780 |
Title: | Is Nutmeg Permissible? |
Category: | Food |
Scholar: | Dr. Hatem al-Haj |
Date: | 08/03/2025 |
Is Nutmeg Permissible?
All praise be to Allah and may His blessings and peace be on His last messenger, Muhammad,
Nutmeg is forbidden in large amounts by all scholars, and that is because it only acts as a CNS suppressant if consumed in large amounts. As for small amounts, it will depend on whether you will consider it khamr, or like khamr in large mounts.
The use of nutmeg would be prohibited, even in small amounts, if you consider any intoxicant khamr by the linguistic analogy - which is not validated by the majority – or by the hadeeth in which the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said that “every intoxicant is khamr.” However, the majority apply this to liquids that intoxicate, not solids, though there is a valid position that applies it to all.
I believe it is not about the solid or liquid state but rather the effects of the substance.
At the time of the prophet r solid or gaseous intoxicants were not known. When hashishah (cannabis) became first known to Muslims, All scholars forbade it due its effect on the intellect, and most of them included it under khamr by definition or analogy.
The disagreement between the scholars over considering Morphine the same as khamr is obvious from the following quotations:
• Imam Ibn Taymiyah said in “Majmoo’ al-Fatawa”: “The verifying scholars recognized that it [hashish] is an intoxicant. It is only consumed by the wicked because of the euphoria it brings, so it is like intoxicating drinks. While Khamr causes activity and quarrelling, this causes lassitude and enjoyment, but it still corrupts the mood, intoxicates the mind and increases lust and the consequent loss of jealousy, which, combined, make it of the worst intoxicating drinks. This [advent of hashish] accompanied the advent of the Tatars. The one who consumes a little or a lot of it deserves the punishment prescribed for drinking.” The position of Imam Ibn Taymiyah was also upheld before him by an-Nawawi and after by Ibn Hajar (May Allah bestow mercy on them all).
• However, Sh. Zakaria al-Ansari mentioned in his book, “Asna al-Matalib”: “Non-liquid substances that cause impairment of the mind like hashishah (cannabis) and banj (anesthetic) are haram due to their impairing the mind, yet there is no hadd (prescribed punishment) for them, since they don’t cause enjoyment and giddiness and consumption of a little of it doesn’t invite to consumption of much, however, it should be punishable by a discretionary penalty. One may use it to lose consciousness for the amputation of a gangrenous limb.”
To determine whether all CNS depressants are khamr or not, we should examine the pertinent reports.
The Prophet r said:
”كل مسكر خمر، وكل مسكر حرام “ مسلم.
“Every intoxicant is khamr, and every intoxicant is haram.” (M)
Ibn ‘Umar t: I heard ‘Umar t atop the minbar of the Messenger of Allah r say:
”أما بعد، أيها الناس، إنه نزل تحريم الخمر وهي من خمسة: من العنب والتمر والعسل والحنطة والشعير، والخمر ما خامر العقل“
“O people, the prohibition of khamr was revealed when khamr was made from five things: grapes, dates, honey, wheat and barley. Khamr is whatever befogs the mind.” (Ag)
This statement from Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) was meant to clarify that other drinks (alcoholic beverages) made of other than grapes are also included under the name of “khamr.”
The statement of the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) above calls any substance that will result in “sukr” khamr. Sukr is translated as intoxication, and that may lead to the inclusion of many substances under the name of “khamr”. It is rather more accurate to consider sukr to be the state or condition that follows the ingestion of khamr, which includes the classical symptoms of euphoria, excitement, confusion and stupor and come, ending in death in the case of overdosing.
Sukr (as explained above), not simply intoxication, is the effective cause (illah) that needs to be present in a substance to be given all of the rulings of khamr.
I now believe there are differences between the effects of khamr (as in alcoholic beverages) and other CNS depressants “intoxicants”.
Thus, the right position is the permissibility of its use in small amounts when mixed with other spices. Of note here, is that in KSA, It is permitted to import if it constitutes 20% or less of the final food product, which goes in agreement of the position chosen here above.
That is the fiqhi position. However, the sincere believers are invited to practice pious caution in all affairs.
Allah knows best.