أثر الاستحالة في الفقه الإسلاميّ على المنتجات الكحوليّة:معقّمات الوقاية من كورونا المستجدّ

Technological development in production methods has enabled man to exploit the elements of nature including impurities (najis) found in alcoholic products like disinfectants which are the best hand sanitizers used as protection against coronavirus. Muslims are weary about using these products for being alcohol-based: are they pure and therefore lawful for use or impure and therefore not lawful? This study examines the position of Islamic law regarding the effect of istihalah (chemical transformation) on alcoholic products (using COVID-19 prevention disinfectants as a case study). The research relies on inductive and analytical methodologies to collect, discuss and analyze the views of jurists on the issue and indicating from among such views the one that is most preponderant and compliant with the spirit and objectives of Islamic law. The most important findings of the research include: where alcoholic substances which are pure are found in the ingredients of disinfectants, then they can lawfully be used for cleaning and sanitizing with no effect on ablution and prayers because the origin in all things is lawfulness. But if the alcoholic ingredients used are najis then such najis may or may not completely transform during production. Complete transformation of the najis substance renders the product pure and lawful for use. Products made from incompletely transformed substances cannot be used for disinfection except in the absence of lawful alternative. But if the origin of the substances cannot be determined in terms of purity or otherwise then products made therefrom are prima facie lawful but it is better not to use them. Disinfectants established medically to be harmful are not lawful for use even if the harmful substance in them has been transformed.