Assalaamu alaykum. I came across a bottle in a store that says that it contains de-alcoholised red wine that can be served with food. It says that the wine is made from grapes. It also states that the de-alcoholised wine may contain up to 0.5%v/v, a level found in natural fruit juices. My question is: is this beverage halal for consumption? May Allaah bless you for the work that you are doing.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked the following question in the Open Door Meeting: "What is the ruling on drinking so-called beer given that there are two types: one that contains a percentage of alcohol, and another that does not contain alcohol, and is it an intoxicant?"

He replied:

“All the beer that is found in our markets [i.e. in Saudi Arabia] is lawful; because they are checked by the government officials, and in principle every type of food, drink and clothing is lawful unless there is evidence that proves that it is forbidden. Allaah says (what means): {It is He Who created for you all of that which is on the earth.} [Quran 2:29] If a person says: this drink is forbidden, or this food is forbidden, then we tell him: bring the evidence. If he brings the evidence, then one has to act according to the evidence, and if not, then his statement is rejected. This is because Allaah says: {It is He Who created for you all of that which is on the earth.}; all that is on the earth, then Allaah stressed this generality by saying {all}. So any person who says to us: this is lawful, this is forbidden; we ask him to provide evidence. If he provides evidence, then we act pursuant to the evidence, and if he does not provide evidence, then his statement is rejected. The beer in our markets here in Saudi Arabia is all lawful, and there is no problem about it, Allaah willing.

As to percentage, do not think that any percentage of alcohol in a thing makes it unlawful; rather if the percentage of alcohol has an effect whereby when a person drinks this mix, he becomes intoxicated, then it is unlawful. But if the percentage is very small without effect, then it is lawful. For example, a percentage such as 1%, 2% or 3% does not make the beverage unlawful. Some people misunderstood the hadeeth that states, 'Whatever intoxicates in large quantities, then a small quantity of it is forbidden,' to mean that if a small percentage of an intoxicant is mixed with a large amount of a substance that is not intoxicating, then it is unlawful. This is a misunderstanding of the hadeeth. 'Whatever intoxicates in large quantities, a little of it is unlawful' means that if a lot of something will cause intoxication, and a little of it will not cause intoxication, then a lot or a little are both unlawful, because you may drink a little that does not cause intoxication, then you may be tempted to drink more and become intoxicated. But if something is mixed with alcohol, while the alcohol content is a minute amount and does not have any effect, then it is lawful and does not come under the ruling of this hadeeth.”

For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 299059.

Allaah knows best.