Is Beer Batter Halal? (Beer Battered Fish And Chips)

Is beer batter halal? In this blog post, we’ll explore the question of whether beer batter is considered halal. Given that the consumption of alcohol is generally prohibited in Islam, it’s a fair question to ask whether beer batter would be considered halal.

After all, beer is a key ingredient in most beer batter recipes. So, can Muslims safely enjoy this popular dish, or are they better off avoiding it?

We’ll take a closer look at the ingredients and preparation methods of beer batter, as well as the Islamic guidelines around the consumption of alcohol, to try to get a better understanding of whether this popular dish is halal or not. So, let’s dive in and see what we can learn!

Is Beer Batter Halal?

No, beer batter is NOT halal. The key ingredient here is, of course, the beer. Beer is impure and so is forbidden to consume in any amount. According to Islamic teachings, the consumption of alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden. This includes not only drinking alcohol but also consuming food or other items that have been prepared with alcohol as an ingredient.

So, based on this, it would seem that beer batter would not be considered halal.

It is haram to eat the food even if the amount of alcohol that is present is very little and drinking it would not cause intoxication, because “that which intoxicates in large amounts, a small amount of it is haram.”

Typically, beer batter is made by mixing flour, baking powder, salt, and beer together to create a thick, bubbly batter. The batter is then used to coat food items like fish, chicken, or vegetables before they are deep-fried.

• You may also like: Is Dominos Halal? (Cheese Pizza And Chicken)

Is Beer Battered Fish Halal?

No, beer battered fish is not halal. This is because beer is an alcoholic beverage which is an integral part of the ingredient of the batter.

Is Beer Batter Chips Halal?

No, beer batter chips is not halal. It is unlawful to consume, as is anything with beer in it, no matter how little the amount of beer.

The presence of alcohol food or drink makes it prohibited, even if the percentage of alcohol is very small.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymin said:

“If this alcohol is mixed with something and is not fully absorbed into what it is mixed with, and does not disappear into it, then that thing becomes haram, because this mixture is affected by it.

But if the alcohol has been fully absorbed into what it has been mixed with, and no trace of it can be detected, then it does not become haram thereby.” (Fatawa Nur ‘ala ad-Darb)

It is not permissible to put any nabidh (fermented drink made from dates), alcohol or any other intoxicating substance into drinks, foods or anything else, because every intoxicant is khamr, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“Every intoxicant is khamr and every khamr is haram.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2003)

Allah has commanded us to avoid khamr completely, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, Al-Ansab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols etc), and AlAzlam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaitan’s (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.”

Surah al-Maidah 5:90.

Al-Qurtubi said:

“The words “So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination)” imply complete avoidance, so that it cannot be used in any way whatsoever, whether it is drinking, selling, turning it into vinegar, using it for medicinal purposes, etc.” (Al-Jami‘ li Ahkam al-Quran, 6/289)

It says in Fatawa al-Lajnah ad-Daimah (22/124):

“It is not permissible to put anything that causes intoxication into anything that is intended to be used as medicine, food or drink, or anything from which food, drink or condiments are to be extracted, whether that intoxicant is nabidh, beer or anything else.”

Adopted from IslamQA.