Are Fizzy Drinks Permissible Beverages?

Fizzy drinks are such beverages as are manufactured in accordance with the ‘Standard of Non-alcoholic Beverages’ numbered 4080 of Turkish Standards Institution, which, according to the mentioned standard, could be PLAIN SODAS, SODA POPS, COKES, TONICS (BITTER), FRUIT-FLAVOURED SODAS, etc., the specific ingredients whereof have been included in the said Standard.    

Although the word ‘Non-alcoholic’ is included in the title of the aforementioned Standard, it is stated on Page 3 of the very same Standard that fizzy drinks may include alcohol up to 5 grams per litre. In fact, according to the Standard of the European Union, which has also been adopted by Turkey, those beverages that include the mentioned amount of alcohol are titled ‘Non-alcoholic’ (?). Therefore, the permissibility of these beverages, given the mentioned ingredients thereof, is actually to be examined in consideration of the Islamic Principles. 

As a matter of fact, one is to abstain from being erred in the application of the well-known Hadith (Tradition) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that reads “Of any substance the great amount whereof intoxicates even a small amount is forbidden,” to the issue of fizzy drinks. In truth, all the fizzy drinks include flavouring and aromatizing essences. As these essences are oily substances, they are hydrophobic and, thus, they do not dissolve in water. Therefore, as they include both hydrophobe and hydrophyle in their molecules, in order to make them dissolvable in water, they can be added to the main solution of fizzy drinks only after having dissolved in Ethyl Alcohol, which can be fully mixed with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic matters.

In light of this very fact, it is one of the issues wherein today’s Muslims are supposed to investigate whether fizzy drinks which include Ethyl Alcohol, which actually is added from outside knowingly and deliberately is permissible or not. Although there actually exists such a permissible matter called Propylene Glycol, which could be used in place of Ethyl Alcohol and despite the fact that this change shall not cause great increase in the cost of fizzy drinks, those manufacturers of fizzy drinks who do not have Islamic sensitivity do not use the said substance.

Now, I wonder why some Muslims of our time still hesitate to reach and attain a definite decision and attitude as to the fizzy drinks despite all these facts?

In fact, I attempted to explain the reasons of this in my communiqués that I submitted at the two International Halal Food Conferences that were held in Istanbul in 2008 and 2009, in the latter communiqué thereof I listed the obstacles between Muslim consumers and Halal Food under the following five main topics: 1- Personal Reasons, 2- Scientific Reasons, 3- Economic Reasons, 4- Social Reasons and 5- Political Reasons.

         Here will I just ask, once more, the very important question that is sort of a key to the interpretation of the Hadith (Tradition) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that reads “Even a small amount of any substance the great amount whereof intoxicates is forbidden,” in doing which I shall only put forward the issue to those that are concerned for their consideration, without negligence of their will, of the reply and coming to a judgment therein:

       “- Considering that that the interpretation of what is actually meant by ‘a large amount’ in the aforesaid Hadith (Tradition) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is “not any indefinite large amount” but "the largest amount that a person may drink at one time” is more reasonable, after having determined what quantity of Ethyl Alcohol could intoxicate one at one time (e.g.: 200 grams), will it be Halal (permissible by Islamic Principles) to those people that have invented the stratagem in Islamic Principles to drink 2 litres of those drinks that they have prepared, with a stratagem in Islamic Principles, they may drink at one time (e.g.: 2 litres) in a way there will be less than 200 grams of alcohol in 2 litres with the addition of the diluted forms of all sorts of alcoholic drinks (e.g. raki, wine, vodka, cognac, liquor, gin, kumis, beer, kephir, etc.) because 2 litres of such diluted drinks, which they might drink at one time, shall not make them drunk then?

The attitude of Muslims in face of this very question shall probably be their reply to one of the most delicate questions in those tests they have encountered in this world.