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Fatwa CenterFood cooked on an alcohol-fueled stove
Question
Is it permissible (halal) to eat food cooked in alcohol stove? (medical alcohol used as a fuel and not poured into food)
Answer
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.
The use of alcohol fuel has no effect at all on the permissibility of eating food cooked on a stove heated with alcohol, even if it was said that alcohol is prohibited and impure.
Ash-Shirbeeni said: “It is not disliked to heat up with something impure, even with dung like that of a dog due to the lack of evidence of prohibition, and because the bad smell disappears due to the strong effect of heating.” [from Al-Iqnaa‘] However, some scholars, like those of the Hanbali School, hold a different view and they elaborate on the ruling on heating with impurity.
As regards the ruling on using alcohol as fuel: if the alcohol causes drunkenness, then some contemporary scholars are of the view that it is forbidden to use as fuel or for other purposes due it being considered wine. The Standing Committee was asked: “What is the ruling on using alcohol or wine in general, i.e. in dyeing furniture, in treatment, as fuel, for cleaning, for perfuming, for cleansing (as a disinfectant) and as vinegar?”
The Standing Committee replied: “If drinking a large amount of it causes intoxication then it is wine, and a small or large amount of it is the same, regardless of whether it is called alcohol or it is called by another name. It must be disposed of and it is prohibited to keep it for use in cleaning, cleansing (disinfecting), or as fuel or perfume, or to convert it to vinegar, or for other uses. But if drinking a large amount of it does not cause intoxication, then it is not wine, in which case it is permissible to use it in perfume, in medicine, as a disinfectant for wounds and so on.” [End of quote]
Allaah Knows best.
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