What Is the Ruling of Myristic Acid Found in Personal Care Products and Cosmetics?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I was wondering if I can apply the same ruling on stearic acid (that it is pure due to transformative change (istihala) on other acids and commonly used ingredients in cosmetics?
Will it be pure for me to use myristic myristate that is found in hand cream and may be derived from animal origins etc.?
Myristic Acid, Organic acid, is typically derived from nut oils but occasionally of animal origin. Used in shampoos, creams, and cosmetics.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health.
Myristic acid, even though it is sometimes from an animal origin but goes through transformative change (istihala), and has alcohol, too, in some products. However, it is invariably synthetic alcohol and not the khamr (wine) that is absolutely impermissible (haram) and filthy, therefore it will be permissible to use. [Taqi Usmani, Fiqh al-Buyu’]
Myristic Acid, also called tetradecanoic acid, occurs naturally in vegetable or animal fats and oils, with relatively high levels found in nutmeg, palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat. The salts of Myristic acid are formed by reaction with base materials such as sodium or potassium hydroxide. The esters of Myristic Acid are derived from Myristic Acid and alcohol. For example, Isopropyl Myristate is derived from Myristic Acid and isopropyl alcohol, and Butyl Myristate is derived from Myristic Acid and butyl alcohol.
Check think link:
Myristic Acid – Cosmetics Info
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I pray this helps with your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.
He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.
He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.
