Ruling on eating pickles and bread made with yeast in the dough

Is it permissible to eat fermented foods made at home, such as pickled cabbage, soy sauce, leavened bread, in order to help the digestion process?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The general principle with regard to foods is that they are permissible, and nothing is disallowed except that for which there is evidence that it is haraam and should not be eaten. 

But the problem is the use of yeast in these pickles. 

It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-‘Arabiyyah, under the heading Khameerah (yeast): 

Yeast is a substance that ferments the dough when making bread. Its effect is the formation of carbon dioxide which created bubbles that make the colour of the dough lighter, and makes the dough expand during baking and rise and increase in size. Yeast is also used to make beer, nabeedh and other alcoholic drinks. The he yeast that is used commercially is made from colonies of microscopic single-celled yeast organisms. Although there are more than 600 kinds of yeast, only a few of them are used commercially. 

Based on that: 

If the amount of yeast in these pickles and the like is very little, and it has dissolved in them, so that it does not have the effect of causing intoxication or languor, there is nothing wrong with using yeast in them, and eating these pickles. 

But if the yeast has a lasting effect on them, such that if the one who ate a lot of these pickles would become intoxicated or tired, it is haraam to use the yeast in them, or to eat anything to which yeast has been added in this way. 

Thus it become clear that pickles made from permitted foods are permissible. It should be noted that the vinegar which is put with these products or that is produced by pickling these materials, comes under the heading of drinks that are originally permissible, and is a type of food that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ate and praised, saying, “What a good condiment is vinegar.” [Narrated by Muslim, 2051]. 

For a more detailed discussion on the ruling on vinegar, please see the answer to questions no. 106196 and 113941. 

Secondly: 

There is also nothing wrong with eating bread made with yeast. The yeast (khameerah) that is added to the dough does not come under the heading of khamr (intoxicant) that is haraam, and does not have any effect of causing intoxication or languor, especially since cooking it with fire alters the yeast completely, so that it no longer has any effect. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:

How should we respond to the ruling on the yeast that they put in flour to help leaven it and make it easy to cook, as some people say that it is khamr and it is not permissible to use it? 

He replied: 

My response to that is that there is nothing wrong with putting yeast in the dough for the purpose of leavening it, because this does not affect it at all. Moreover, I do not think that this yeast would cause intoxication if a person were to eat it. The basic principle concerning all foods and drinks and clothing is that they are permissible, unless it is proven that they are haraam, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He rose over (Istawa) towards the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of everything”

[al-Baqarah 2:29]. 

So there is nothing wrong with putting yeast in the dough to leaven it. 

Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb (tape 70, side b) 

And Allah knows best.

Ruling on accepting food and sweets from a kaafir

If a Christian or Jewish person gives me sweets or food or a drink, is it permissible for me to ask whether it is halaal or not, or whether there is pork in it or not? Or should I keep quiet and mention the name of Allah and eat? What I mean is asking one of the Muslim brothers for his opinion about what it contains.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

It is permissible to accept a gift from a non-Muslim because he is a relative or neighbour, or for the purpose of softening his heart and calling him to Islam, but it is haraam if it is done as an act of friendship or love, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Awliyaa’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Awliyaa’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa’), then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allaah guides not those people who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)”

[al-Maa’idah 5:51]

“O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitaanah (advisors, consultants, protectors, helpers, friends) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses) if you understand”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:118]. 

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) accepted the invitation of a Jewish woman and ate her food. 

In his Saheeh, al-Bukhaari included a chapter entitled Chapter on Accepting Gifts from Mushrikeen, in which he (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Abu Hurayrah narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) travelled with Sarah and entered a village in which there was a king or a tyrant. He (the king) said: Give her Haajir (the mother of Ismaa’eel, peace be upon him). And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was given a gift of a sheep containing poison. And Abu Humayd said: The king of Aylah gave the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) a white mule and a cloak. And he quoted the story of the Jewish woman who gave the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the poisoned sheep. 

Secondly: 

It is permissible to eat meat slaughtered by a Jew or a Christian, subject to certain conditions: 

1.     That it be slaughtered in the same manner as the Muslims; so the throat and oesophagus should be cut and the blood should be allowed to flow. If he kills it by strangling, electric shock or drowning in water, then it is not permissible to eat his meat, just as if a Muslim does that, it is not permissible to eat his meat.

2.     The name of Allah should be mentioned over it, and no other name should be mentioned such as the name of Christ or anyone else, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allaah’s Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal)” [al-An’am 6:121]. And He says concerning haraam things (interpretation of the meaning): “He has forbidden you only the Maytah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering)” [al-Baqarah 2:173]. 

If it is not known how the meat was slaughtered or whether the name of Allah was mentioned over it or not, it is permissible to eat it and he does not have to ask about how it was slaughtered, because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (2057) from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), according to which some people said: O Messenger of Allah, some people bring meat to us and we do not know whether they mentioned the name of Allah over it or not. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Mention the name of Allah over it and eat it.” 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

So it is permissible to eat even if we do not know whether the slaughterer mentioned the name of Allah or not. Similarly, it is permissible to eat even if we do not know whether it was slaughtered in the proper manner or not, because if an action is done by the appropriate people, then in principle it is valid and sound unless there is evidence to the contrary. If we receive some meat from a Muslim or a Jew or a Christian, we should not ask about it and we should not ask how it was slaughtered or whether the name of Allah was mentioned over it or not. It is halaal so long as there is no proof that it is haraam, and this is one of the ways in which Allah has made things easy for us. End quote. 

Liqaa’aat al-Baab al-Maftooh, 20805. 

See also the answer to question no. 20805 

This is with regard to things in which proper slaughter is stipulated, such as animals and birds. 

With regard to fish, sweets and vegetables, there is nothing wrong with eating them, unless it is known that something haraam has been put in them, such as alcohol or lard (pork fat). 

The ruling of prohibition cannot be confirmed on the basis of doubt. But if a person tries to be careful and only eats that which he knows and is certain that it is free of haraam things, then this is better. 

The Jews adhere to the proper method of slaughter, and they avoid pork. 

For more information please see the answer to question number 88206 and85108. 

And Allah knows best.

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If maniy (semen) is emitted whilst one is awake because of illness, ghusl is not required

In your response to question 1927 you said that emission of semen due to sickness does not require ghusl. But you did not give any Hadith to support your answer. Could you please give some basis for the answer so I could put my heart at rest.

Praise be to Allaah.  

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“If you are in a state of Janaabah (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body)”

[al-Maa’idah 5:6] 

Junub (the person who is in a state of janaabah) refers to the person who has emitted maniy which gushes forth, accompanied by feelings of pleasure. 

“Gushing forth” refers to the aayah where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“So let man see from what he is created!

He is created from a water gushing forth”

[al-Taariq 86:5-6] 

If the maniy is emitted whilst a person is awake, with no feelings of pleasure,  then he does not have to do ghusl. With regard to the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Water is for water” (narrated by Muslim, al-Hayd, 518), it is to be interpreted as referring to the regular case, when maniy is emitted accompanied by feelings of pleasure, and results in tiredness and exhaustion. But with regard to that which is not accompanied by feelings of pleasure, it is does not result in tiredness and exhaustion. 

Hence they said that this water (maniy) has three characteristics: 

1.                 It comes out gushing.

2.                 Its smell when it has dried is like the smell of eggs, and if it is not dry its smell is like that of mud and pollen.

3.                 Tiredness of the body after it is emitted. 

See al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, part 1, p. 277-278. 

The Standing Committee was asked about the obligation of doing ghusl after experiencing a wet dream. They replied: 

It is clear that ghusl is obligatory when maniy comes out gushing, accompanied by feelings of pleasure, when one is awake, and if it happens, regardless of how it comes out, when one is asleep, because Imaam Ahmad narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If water gushes, then do ghusl, and if it does not gush, then do not do ghusl.” 

Fataawa Islamiyyah, vol. 1, p. 216 

It was also narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Nasaa’i that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “My madhiy (prostatic fluid) flowed excessively and I used to keep taking baths until (the skin of) my back cracked. I mentioned that to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – or that was mentioned to him – and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Do not do that. If you see madhiy, then wash your penis and do wudoo’ as you do for prayer, but if water gushes out [i.e., maniy or semen], then do ghusl.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Tahaarah, 178; al-Nasaa’i, al-Tahaarah, 193. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, no. 187). 

Ibn Al-Manzoor said: This indicates that if anything other than that is emitted when one is awake, or it flows because of sickness, then he does not have to do ghusl. 

Ibn ‘Aabideen said: If it – i.e., maniy – is emitted because of being beaten or because of carrying a heavy load on one's back, then in our view he does not have to do ghusl. 

Al-Dardeer said: If it is emitted without feelings of pleasure, rather it flows or comes because of being beaten or being stung by a scorpion, then he does not have to do ghusl. 

The Hanbalis and the Shaafa’is, according to the more correct of the two views, stated that if a man’s back is broken and maniy comes out of him, and it does not come from the penis, then he does not have to do ghusl. The Hanbalis stated clearly that the ruling in this case is like regular kinds of najaasah.

See al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, vol. 31, p. 197. 

And Allaah knows best. 

If a man wakes up and finds some wetness but does not know what it is

I sometimes wake up and find wetness which I cannot differentiate from semen or something else. Should I in this case make ghusl? 
Please tell us if u have advice for Muslims living in the west regarding prayers and its timings, issues of purification ‘tahara’, the matter of shaking hands and other related issues that are important for a Muslim man to observe. Please help us may Allah reward you and guide you to the best for Muslims.

Praise be to Allaah.

If a man wakes up and finds some wetness, one of three scenarios must apply: 

1-

He knows that it is maniy (semen), by knowing the characteristics of maniy. The fuqaha’ have stated that the smell of wet maniy is like the smell of dough or the spadix of the palm tree, and the smell of dried maniy is like the smell of egg whites. In that case ghusl is required, but it is not essential to wash one’s garment because maniy is taahir (pure) according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. 

2-

He knows that it is madhiy (prostatic fluid), which case ghusl is not required, but he must wash off whatever has got onto his body and clothes, because madhiy is najis (impure). 

3-

He does not know whether it is maniy or madhiy. That is subject to further discussion. 

If his sleep was preceded by something that caused the provocation of desire, such as thinking or looking, then the wetness that he found on his garment comes under the ruling on madhiy. 

If his sleep was not preceded by something that would cause emission of madhiy, then he should do that which is most on the safe side, and follow the rulings on both maniy and madhiy; so he should do ghusl and wash off whatever has got onto his clothes, and he should do wudoo’ during his ghusl. 

It says in Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha (1/162): If the sleeper wakes up and finds wetness on his body or garment or bed, if he is certain that it is maniy he should do ghusl because it is obligatory, even if he does not remember having a wet dream.  Al-Muwaffaq said: We do not know of any difference of opinion concerning that. But he need not wash off whatever it got onto, because maniy is taahir. 

Maniy may be recognized by its smell, which is like the smell of dough or the smell of the spadix of a palm tree when it is fresh, or the smell of egg whites when they are dry. If he is certain that it is not maniy, he should purify whatever it got onto of his body or clothes, because it is najis. 

If he is confused about this wetness and does not know whether it is maniy or madhiy, if his sleep was preceded by some cause such as cold, looking or thinking or foreplay or an erection, he should purify whatever it has got onto, because it is more likely to be madhiy due to the causes; what we think is likely should be taken as a certainty in this case, such as if he saw a dream in his sleep then he must do ghusl, because it is more likely that it was maniy because of the reason.   

But if his sleep was preceded by a cause, and he found some wetness on his clothes or body or bed, he should do ghusl because it is obligatory and he should do wudoo’ in the right order and also purify whatever it has got onto. It says in Sharh al-Iqnaa’: To be on the safe side. Then he said: This is not obligatory on the basis of doubt, rather it is on the basis of taking precautions, because in the case mentioned above, it is either maniy or madhiy and there is no reason to regard one as more likely than the other, therefore to be on the safe side what may be obligatory should be done and that cannot be done except in the way mentioned. End quote. 

See also the answer to question no. 22705. 

What you have mentioned about advice having to do with prayer, purification and forming relationships with women may be found in the appropriate place on this website. See the answer to question no. 22309. 

We ask Allaah to help and guide us and you. 

And Allaah knows best.

He had a wet dream but he did not do ghusl because it was very cold

I was once sleeping in the afternoon after taking lunch. i had erotic dreams & sufferred from nocturnal ejactulation. when the adhan for assar was being given , i woke up. s it was very cold i could not take a bath. i washed the semen off from my pants, did taimyum and continued with my asaar prayers. did i do the right thing? is it necessary to take a bath after having a wet dream or is it suffficeient to wash off the semen & do wadoo to become clean.  
In fact in view of the cold i tokk bath only after a few days, & contined to perform salat all these days using the same garment. i hope i have put the problem before u lucidly

Praise be to Allaah.

It is the mercy of Allaah towards His slaves that the obligation to do certain duties no longer applies when one is unable to do them, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope”

[al-Baqarah 2:286] 

This also includes not being able to do ghusl when one is junub (in a state of impurity following sexual activity); whoever is not able to do ghusl because he is sick or it is very cold may do tayammum instead and he does not have to repeat his prayers, because of the hadeeth of ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas who said: “I had a wet dream on a cold night during the campaign of Dhaat al-Salaasil, and I was scared that if I did ghusl I might die. So I did tayammum and prayed, then in the morning my companions mentioned that to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He said, ‘O ‘Amr, you led your companions in prayer when you were junub.’ I told him what had kept me from doing ghusl and I said, ‘I heard that Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allaah is Most Merciful to you” [al-Nisa’ 4:29].’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) smiled and did not say anything.”

(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 334; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 323; al-Bukhaari narrated it as a mu’allaq report). 

If you were in a place where you could not find any means of heating the water and you feared that you might become sick if you did ghusl with cold water, then what you did was correct and you do not have to repeat it.

He used not to do ghusl for janaabah out of ignorance; should he make up the prayers?

When I was in the first year of middle school, one of my relatives told me about madhiy and told me that it is what comes out with desire. When I reached the third year of middle school, I took a lesson about madhiy and how to purify oneself from it. After that, every time I became junub I would wash my penis and do wudoo’ for prayer, because I did not know that it was maniy. When I learned the ruling nearly three years later, I was upset about the prayers that I offered (when I was junub). Do I have to repeat them because of my misunderstanding?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The difference between madhiy and maniy is well known. For more information please see the answer to question no. 2458. What the Muslim is required to do is learn what he needs to know in order for his belief, worship and dealings with others to be sound. 

If a person offers many prayers without having purified himself correctly, because he was unaware that purification was obligatory, he does not have to repeat them, according to the correct opinion. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:  

Based on this, if a person did not purify himself as prescribed in sharee’ah because the text had not reached him, such as if he ate camel meat and did not do wudoo’, then the text reached him and he came to know that it is obligatory to do wudoo’ after eating camel meat, or if he prayed in a camel pen then the text reached him (which says that it is not allowed to pray in camel pens), does he have to repeat the past prayers? There are two opinions, both of which were narrated from Ahmad.  

A similar case is if a man touches his penis and prays, then he finds out that the one who touches his penis has to do wudoo’.  

The correct view in all these cases is that he does not have to repeat the prayers, because Allaah has forgiven things done by mistake or out of forgetfulness, and because He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)”

[al-Isra’ 17:15].  

If a person has not heard of the command of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning a particular matter, then the obligation is not confirmed in his case. Hence when ‘Umar and ‘Ammaar became junub and ‘Umar did not pray and ‘Ammaar prayed after rolling in the dust, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not tell either of them to repeat the prayer. Similarly he did not tell Abu Dharr to repeat the prayers when he was junub and did not pray for several days. And he did not tell those of his companions who had eaten until they could distinguish the white thread from the black thread to make up their fasts, and he did not tell those who had prayed facing Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) before news of the abrogation reached them to make up those prayers.  

A similar case is that of the woman who was suffering from istihaadah (non-menstrual vaginal bleeding) and had not prayed for some time because she thought that she did not have to pray. There are two views as to whether such a woman has to make up the prayers she missed. One view is that she does not have to make up the prayers – as was narrated from Maalik and others – because when the woman who was suffering from istihaadah said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “I have been bleeding heavily for some time and it prevents me from praying and fasting,” he told her what she should do in the future, and he did not tell her to make up the prayers of the past.  

 End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 21/101 

See also the answer to question no. 45648 

But you should do a lot of naafil prayers, because the naafil prayers will make up for any shortfall in the obligatory prayers. And you should seek to learn beneficial knowledge, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If Allaah intends good for a person, He causes him to understand Islam.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (71) and Muslim (1037). 

May Allah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. 

And Allah knows best.

He did ghusl just to be clean, and he did not realize that he was junub. Should he repeat his ghusl?

I woke up and made ghusl and prayed as I usually do every morning. Two hours later I found out that I was junub. Should I repeat my ghusl in this case or the first ghusl is enough? Bearing in mind that I did not intend to clear the janaba while making ghusl.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

If a person prays then realizes that he was junub, he must do ghusl and repeat the prayer; his first ghusl does not count that he did as a habit or to keep clean, without the intention to remove janaabah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions and each person will have but that which he intended.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1) and Muslim (1907). 

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (1/158): If he intended to do an act of purification for something for which purification is not prescribed, such as to cool down, and he did not intend the purification that is prescribed in sharee’ah, then the impurity is not removed because he did not have the intention of purification, so it does not count as anything.

End quote.