Nabidz wine has high alcohol content, haram for Muslims: MUI

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has emphasized that Nabidz wine is haram (forbidden) for Muslims because laboratory tests have found a high alcohol content in the product.

Nabidz wine is made from fermented grape juice and was recently marketed as "halal wine." Halal means permissible in Arabic.

The commission's head, Asrorun Niam Sholeh, stated on Tuesday that MUI has received information regarding the results of three different laboratory tests, which have shown that the alcohol content in the product exceeds the limit that can be consumed by Muslims.

"The results of tests carried out at three laboratories have shown that the alcohol level in the Nabidz product is quite high, so it is forbidden for Muslims to consume," he informed.

He explained that according to the halal guidelines and standards, MUI does not approve the halal status of products whose names are associated with haram things in Islam, such as wine.

"Especially if the process involves fermenting grape juice with yeast, similar to making wine," he added.

MUI Fatwa Number 4 of 2003 concerning Halal Standardization lays down four criteria for the use of names and ingredients for food and drinks, which include:

Not using names and/or symbols that lead to disbelief and evil.
Not using names and/or symbols that refer to the names of objects/animals that are forbidden, including pork and khamr (alcoholic beverages), except for those that have been used traditionally and do not contain forbidden elements.
Not using mixed ingredients that have the taste/aroma of objects or animals that are forbidden, such as pork-flavored instant noodles.
Not using the names of forbidden food or drinks, such as whiskey, brandy, and beer.

Meanwhile, MUI Fatwa Number 10 of 2018 concerning food and beverage products that contain alcohol/ethanol states that alcoholic beverages that fall into the khamr category are drinks with alcohol/ethanol levels above 0.5 percent.

The Head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) of the Religious Affairs Ministry, Aqil Irham, said that his institution has not issued any halal certificates for wine products.

"Regarding the sales of wine products with the Nabidz brand that are claimed to be halal-certified, we need to emphasize that BPJPH has never issued halal certificates for wine products," he clarified.

He explained that the owner of the Nabidz brand did apply for halal certification, but the application was intended for fruit juice drink products, not wine.

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