CAIRO: Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, Muslim scholar known for his moderate views on religious issues, once again sparked controversy when he declared that it is permissible for Muslims to drink beverages containing a miniscule level of alcohol, in an interview that ran in the Qatari Al-Arab newspaper.  

According to Al-Qaradawi, “beverages that include 0.5 percent alcohol are not prohibited in Islam because it is a very small percentage, especially if the alcohol was produced through natural fermentation over time and not added deliberately.”

However Mahmoud Ashour, one of Al-Azhar’s most prominent sheikhs and member of the Islamic Research Center, disagreed with Al-Qaradawi’s statements, explaining that Muslims are prohibited from consuming anything with fermented components. 

Ashour added that anything that includes alcohol — no matter how small the percentage is — is prohibited by Islam, citing a Hadith by Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) supporting his argument.