Question # 582: Is consuming Nutmeg haraam?

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Shorter Answer: There is no Shari’ah ruling that prohibits eating nutmegs; however, it falls under the category of the hadith that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) warned against all intoxicants; hence, the majority of scholars are of the view that it is prohibited to use it either in small or large quantities. Other scholars are of the view that it is permissible to use a little of it if it is mixed with other substances.

Long Answer: The nutmeg tree is used as a kind of spice that gives food a fragrant smell and delicious taste. The ancient Egyptians used it as a medicine for stomach disease and to expel wind. Its effects are like those of hashish. If it is consumed in large quantities, a person has ringing in his ears, severe constipation, difficulty urinating, anxiety, stress, suppression of the central nervous system, and possibly death.

The prohibition in this focuses on intoxication or sedation. So, if it is proven that nutmeg contains intoxicative or sedative ingredients—and this would be decided by experts—then it would be prohibited, due to the hadith of Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها), who said: “Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) prohibited every intoxicant and sedative.” (Related by Abi Dawud, with a chain of transmission classed as good (hasan) by Al-Hafidh [Ibn Hajr] in Fath ul-Bari; it was also classed as authentic by Al-Manawi in Al-Taysir biSharh al-Jami`il-Saghir)

On the authority of Jabir ibn Abd-Allah (رضي الله عنه), who said that Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Whatever intoxicates in large amounts is haram [even] in small amounts.” (Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud)

On the authority of Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (رضي الله عنه), from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) who said: “I forbid you from small amounts of anything that intoxicates in large amounts.” (Related by Al-Nasa’i, Abu Ya`la and classed as authentic by Ibn Hibban)

Hanafi Madhhab

The Hanafis are of the view that it is either an intoxicant or a drug, either of which affects the mind, so it is prohibited in either case.” [They] agreed that it is an intoxicant and comes under the general text: “Every intoxicant is Khamr, and all Khamr is prohibited.” (Az-Zawajir `an Iqtirab Al-Kaba’ir and Al-Mukhaddirat by Muhammad `Abd Al-Maqsud)

Shafi’i Madhhab

Ar-Ramli, from the Shafi’i School of Jurisprudence, was asked about eating nutmeg whether or not it is permissible, and he answered: “Yes, it is permissible to eat it if it is little, and it is forbidden if it is much.” (Fatawa of Ar-Ramli)

Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami (d. 974 AH) was asked about nutmeg, and he forbade it because it intoxicates and dopes. It is confirmed that the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “Any kind of intoxicant is considered alcohol and every kind of alcoholic drink (intoxicant) is forbidden.” (Muslim) Al-Haythami attributed the view that it is forbidden to Ibn Daqeeq Al-‘Eed saying: ‘The latecomers of the Shafi’i and Maliki schools reported this view from him and ruled according to it, and this is enough evidence.’ Moreover, he [Al-Haythami] also stated that the Hanbali school agreed with the view of the two aforementioned schools according to a text of Ibn Taymiyyah.

Maliki Madhhab

Mawahib al-Jaleel, authored by Al-Hattab from the Maliki School of Jurisprudence, reads: “Al-Burzulli said, “Some of our Imams are of the view that it is permissible to eat a little of nutmeg to warm the brain, and some of them stipulated that it should be mixed with drugs (medicines), and what is true is that it is permissible whether or not it is mixed with drugs.”

Hanbali Madhhab

Ibn Al-‘Imad [(d. 1090 AH)] went further and regarded hashish as comparable to [nutmeg]. The Hanbalis agreed that it is an intoxicant and comes under the general text: “Every intoxicant is Khamr, and all Khamr is prohibited.” (Az-Zawajir `an Iqtirab Al-Kaba’ir and Al-Mukhaddirat by Muhammad `Abd Al-Maqsud)

Other Scholarly views

The author of ‘Awn al-Ma’bood [Shaykh Muhammad Ashraf al-Azim al-Abadi] said: “The nutmeg, mace, and Indian oud: all of these are not intoxicants as well, but some of it causes feebleness, and some of it causes anesthesia. There is no doubt that if much of something causes intoxication, then little of it is forbidden, whether it is consumed on its own or is mixed with something else, and whether it is able to cause intoxication after it is mixed with something else or it is not able to cause intoxication. All of these six things are not of the type of intoxicants at all; some of them do not even cause feebleness or intoxication according to the reliable opinion; rather, some of them are among the kinds of things that cause feebleness according to the view of some scholars, and some of them are of the view that they are among the types of what causes harm, so little of it is not forbidden whether it is consumed on its own or is consumed in food or medicines. Of course, if one consumes an additional amount that leads to feebleness, then it is not permissible to eat it because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade eating something that causes feebleness, and he did not say that if much of something causes feebleness, then little of it is forbidden.”

During the eighth conference of medical Fiqh – “The Islamic View on Some Health Problems – prohibited and Impure Substances in Food and Medicine” – which was held in Kuwait between 22-24 Dhul-Hijjah 1415 AH (22-24 May 1995), they said: “Narcotic substances are prohibited, and it is not permissible to consume them unless that is for a specific medical purpose, and in the amount specified by doctors, but they are pure in and of themselves. There is nothing wrong with using nutmeg to improve the flavor of food, in small amounts that do not cause listlessness or intoxication.”

Shaykh Dr. Wahbah Az-Zuhayli said: “There is no reason why a small amount of nutmeg should not be used to improve the flavor of food, cakes, and the like, but a large amount is prohibited because it is a narcotic.”

According to Dr. Hatem al-Haj, a Member of the Fatwa Committee of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America: “…Nutmeg is forbidden in large amounts by all scholars, and that is because it only acts as a CNS suppressant if consumed in large amounts. As for small amounts, it will depend on whether you will consider it khamr, or like khamr in large mounts. The use of nutmeg would be prohibited, even in small amounts, if you consider any intoxicant khamr by the linguistic analogy – which is not validated by the majority – or by the hadeeth in which the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said that “every intoxicant is khamr.” However, the majority apply this to liquids that intoxicate, not solids, though there is a valid position that applies it to all. At least, no one would consider the likes of nutmeg and morphine impure to touch. Thus, they don’t necessarily take all of the rulings that pertain to khamr. Thus, the right position is the permissibility of its use in small amounts when mixed with other spices. Of note here is that in KSA, It is permitted to import if it constitutes 20% or less of the final food product, which goes in agreement with the position chosen here above. That is the fiqhi position. However, the sincere believers are invited to practice pious caution in all affairs.”

According to Dr. Muhammad Muwaffak Al Ghaylany, a Member of the Fatwa Committee of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America: “There is no Shari’ah ruling that prohibits eating nutmegs, it falls under the category of the hadith that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) warned against all intoxicants, hence, some Shari’ah scholars have ruled out that it is prohibited, as maintained by Ibn Hajar Al-Makki in his book: Al-Zawajer.

But it seems that Abu Hanifah maintained that the forbidden side of it is eating too much of it, which is intoxicant, though the lesser quantities of it and of any intoxicant substance, except liquor and its likes, should not be categorized as prohibited, on condition that it does not intoxicate, as is mentioned in Al-Tahawi’s Commentary on Maraqi Al-Falah.

It is mentioned in the book Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar – which is Hanafi literature: “And also, nutmegs are prohibited, but not as much as hashish or hemp.”

As for the Maliki Doctors of Fiqhi school, the author of Mawaheb Al-Jalil: “And al-Barzali said that some of our Imams have permitted eating small quantities of nutmegs just for refreshing the mind, and some of them conditioned it by mixing it with some medicine, and the correct rule is the generality of using it.”

The point is that its prohibition is not as grave as that of liquor and that some Shari’ah doctors have absolutely forbidden it, and some of them only prohibited the big quantities of it, not of the lesser quantities. A Muslim should be careful in seeking halal substances, especially food and drink. Therefore, it is preferable to avoid eating nutmeg because it is closer to the prohibition for having intoxication in it.”

Unless stated otherwise, most part of the above answer is based on the following resources:

  • Islamqa.info
  • Islamweb.net
  • Amjaonline.net)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

Wassalaam