Q: Some sodas have alcohol in them. Are they halal. I read a British site saying haram. I later read a South African site saying haram. I read a Pakistani site saying halal. I local brother told me  so long as you read bismillah the soda and candy becomes halal and another  site saying totally haram. I read American sites saying yes then no. I am really confused. Can you educate me w a clear answer without too much tmi. (email)

Answers:

• If alcohol is from grapes or dates, then in such a case it would not be permissible for halal Muslim consumption.
• If alcohol is derived from anything other than grapes and dates and still intoxicates, than too it would be prohibited.
• The non-grape and non-date derived alcohol found in soda is not known to intoxicate and thus would be permissible for consumption.
• If alcohol is from synthetic composition and not from grapes or date derivatives, its consumption would be allowed, so long as it too does not intoxicate.

Due to the following two opinions: 1) everything that contains alcohol, regardless of it being from grapes or dates is haram 2) only that which is from dates and grapes remain haram, recommended is the following: one should try and abstain from products containing alcohol, however, to say that all of them are haram would not be correct.

Call the company/manufacture and verify what type of alcohol is being used in the given product.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.