Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salam,
i just wanted to know that is red wine vinegar used in some pickles is halal for us muslims to eat.

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Answer:

Red Wine Vinegar

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 90-91:

O you who have believed!   ‘Khamr’ (all types of intoxicants),  games of chance,  idols,  and divining arrows are all abominable works of Shaitaan;  therefore,  stay (far) away from these so that you may attain success.   Indeed,  Shaitaan seeks to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of ‘khamr’ (intoxicants) and gambling,  and to prevent you from the Remembrance of Allah and from Salaah.   Will you not,  then,  abstain from these things?

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3672  Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr (alcohol, wine, etc.), and every intoxicant is haraam.”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3679  Narrated by Aisha

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say:  “Every intoxicant is haraam;  if a quantity of anything causes intoxication,  a handful of it is (also) haraam.”

Sahih Muslim Hadith 5093     Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) asked his family for condiment. They (the members of his household) said: ‘We have nothing with us but vinegar.’  He (saws) asked for it, began to eat it, and then said: ‘Vinegar is a good condiment, vinegar is a good condiment.’

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4222        Narrated by Umm Hani

The Prophet (saws) came in to visit me and asked whether I had anything. When I replied that I had nothing but some dry bread and vinegar he said, "Produce it; a house in which there is vinegar is not devoid of condiments."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 5091     Narrated by Aisha

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘The best of condiments is vinegar.’

Normal vinegar in its essence is not amongst any of the prohibited products; thus its consumption is absolutely legal and lawful for the believers.

If one adds something forbidden to any lawful product then the consumption of that product would be deemed unlawful for the believers to consume.  If even a drop of the unlawful wine is added to the lawful vinegar, then this mixture of red wine and vinegar would indeed be unlawful as food for the believers.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 4891     Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) was asked about the use of ‘Khamr’ from which (a specific type of) vinegar is prepared. He (saws) said: ‘No, it is prohibited.’

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan