Question Summary:
Will products containing glycerin be permissible for usage due to umoom-e-balwa

Question Detail:

Just like in shampoos and soaps nowadays, alot of creams, lotions, baby wet wipes, makeup, hair removing wax, cosmetics, shaving gels etc. which people commonly use contain glycerin/ glycerol/glycerine /ethylhexylglycerin which may either be from a plant or animal source or both (almost impossible to know which). According to research, glycerin is the second most common used item in cosmetics after water. Just looking through my cosmetics today, I found numerous items with glycerin listed as an ingredient that I have been using for years as well as the baby wet wipes that are commonly used by everyone (i.e Johnsons, huggies etc.) On the basis of Umoom-e-Balwa (public predicament) as it is so rampant and almost unavoidable, Will it be permissible to use items containing glycerin Externally? 

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Glycerin derived from plants and synthetically produced glycerin is Halal. Glycerin derived from animal fat is generally from haraam animals, hence haraam even for external use.^[1]

If there is a medical need to use glycerin and there is no adequate alternative, then one will be excused to use haraam glycerin only to the extent of the need.^[2]

However, if animal glycerin is found in items which are difficult to abstain from, then there is a leeway to use such products due to public predicament (umoom-e-balwa).^[3]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Aboobakr Siddeeq bin Mufti Amjad Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa

Azaadville, JHB, South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

______

^[1] http://www.sanha.co.za/a/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2437

Glycerine is not an alcohol nor is it derived from alcohol. It is a syrupy liquid which is a by-product of animal fat such as tallow. Widely derived from plant source, e.g. Palm Kernel and also synthetically manufactured which is free of animal derivatives. Plant and Synthetic glycerine is permissible. Glycerine obtained from animal fat is generally not acceptable since the fat is in all likelihood, derived from a suspected non-Halaal animal source.

^[2]  الأشباه والنظائر على مذهب أبي حنيفة النعمان - (1 / 85)

 الضَّرُورَاتُ تُبِيحُ الْمَحْظُورَاتِ

الاختيار لتعليل المختار - (4 / 163)

 فأما حالة الضرورة فالضرورات تبيح

المحظورات ، ألا ترى أن الله أباح شرب الخمر وأكل الميتة ولحم الخنزير ومال الغير حالة المخمصة وما إذا غص ، وهذا لأن أحوال الضرورات مستثناة ، قال تعالى : ) وما جعل عليكم

في الدين من حرج ( [ الحج : 78 ] وقال : ) لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها ( [ البقرة : 286 ]

^[3]  الأشباه والنظائر لابن نجيم (ص: 65)

السَّادِسُ: الْعُسْرُ وَعُمُومُ الْبَلْوَى؛ كَالصَّلَاةِ مَعَ النَّجَاسَةِ الْمَعْفُوِّ عَنْهَا كَمَا دُونَ رُبْعِ الثَّوْبِ مِنْ مُخَفَّفَةٍ وَقَدْرِ الدِّرْهَمِ مِنْ الْمُغَلَّظَةِ، وَنَجَاسَةُ الْمَعْذُورِ الَّتِي تُصِيبُ ثِيَابَهُ وَكَانَ كُلَّمَا غَسَلَهُ خَرَجَتْ

وَدَمُ الْبَرَاغِيثِ، وَالْبَقِّ فِي الثَّوْبِ، وَإِنْ كَثُرَ، وَبَوْلٌ تَرَشَّشَ عَلَى الثَّوْبِ قَدْرَ رُءُوسِ الْإِبَرِ

وَطِينُ الشَّوَارِعِ وَأَثَرُ نَجَاسَةٍ عَسُرَ زَوَالُهُ

وَبَوْلُ سِنَّوْرٍ فِي غَيْرِ أَوَانِي الْمَاءِ وَعَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى