Question Summary:
1) have been told that it is haram for women to shave the pubic hair…2) are we allowed to use toothpase with alcohol in it, to cure gum desease?

Question Detail:

1)  have been told that it is haram for women to shave the pubic hair. Rather it should be plucked or tweezed. Can you please enlighten me on this topic.  I have read in books that it is not haram, so i am a bit confused.

2) Secondly are we allowed to use toothpase with alcohol in it, to cure gum desease e.t.c

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
1)      It is permissible for  women to shave the pubic hair or use any other method of hair removal e.g. hair removal cream etc.
(قوله و يستحبّ حلق عانته)قال فى الهندية من تحت السرة و لو عالج بالنورة يجوز.
 ( Radul-Muhtaar    Vol. 6   Pg.  406  HM Saeed)
 
However it is preferable for women to pluck or tweeze the pubic hair if possible.
و السنة فى المراة النتف
(Radul-Muhtaar     Vol. 6    Pg.  406   HMSaeed)
 
2)       The alcohol used for commercial purposes is called ethanol. Most commercial brand mouthwashes and toothpastes used to treat mouth diseases and infections contain ethanol.
·        Ethanol is generally manufactured from corn, which undergoes fermentation through the medium of yeast, thus producing ethanol.
·        “Currently the main feedstock in the for the production of ethanol is corn. Approximately 10 liters of ethanol are produced from one bushel of corn (35 liters).”en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol
·        Some other feedstock or sources for ethanol are sorghum and pearl millet, however these sources constitute a fairly negligible amount of the feedstock, with corn being the major source.
·        According to the فقهاء  ( Islaamic jurists ) the word خمر refers specifically to those substances derived from grapes and dates, which after undergoing certain processes  intoxicate.
فانّ اصل الخمر شرعا التمر و العنب على ما قال النبى صلى الله عليه و سلم " الخمر من هاتين الشجرتين".
(Fathul Qadeer   Vol. 9    Pg.  34)
 
·        Mufti Taqi Usmaani  has stated that, those liquids derived from other sources besides grapes and dates, are considered permissible by Imaam Abu Hanifah and Imaam Abu Yusuf  for medicinal use as long as it does not intoxicate.
لانّ الاشربة المتخذة من غير العنب و التمر تحلّ عند ابى حنيفة و ابى يوسف بقصد التقوى او لتداوى ما لم تبلغ حد الاسكار.
(Buhuth fi qadaaya fiqhiah muaasarah    Pg.340)
·        Furthermore Mufti Taqi saheb states that those medicines that are derived from substances other than grapes and dates, for example toothpaste containing alcohol derived from corn (ethanol) for the purpose of combating gum diseases will be permissible to use solely on the grounds of medical need as long as it does not intoxicate.
فان كانت الكحول المستعملة فى الادوية متخذة من غير العنب و التمر فان تناولها جائز فى مذهب ابى حنيفة و ابى يوسف رحمهما الله ما لم تبلغ حد الاسكار و يمكن ان يؤخذ بقولهما لحاجة التداوى.
·        Taking into consideration the above, it will be permissible to use toothpaste containing ethanol.
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Abdul Hameed,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah