Scholarly differences
Wine that turns to vinegar by itself is Halal by consensus (IslamQA 2283; Dar al-Ifta 6245). Deliberately made vinegar is disputed: the Hanafi school permits it; Indonesia's MUI (Fatwa 10/2018) rules vinegar from khamr Halal and pure whether it turned by itself or was engineered; IslamQA 191176 and 276185, following Ibn 'Uthaymin, permit vinegar made by non-Muslims.
The classical Shafi'i rule (Reliance of the Traveller e14.6) and Malaysia's National Fatwa Committee (2006) do not accept vinegar made by intervention, though Shafi'i answers at Qibla and SeekersGuidance allow following the Hanafi view. Rice vinegar falls under the same rulings: it starts as rice wine.
What decides the answer
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Rice wine that turned to vinegar by itself — by consensus
Halal -
Commercial rice vinegar, Hanafi, MUI and IslamQA rulings
Halal -
Commercial rice vinegar, classical Shafi'i rule: not accepted (Malaysia's 2006 fatwa is on wine vinegar)
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Seasoned rice vinegar with sake or mirin added: those are alcoholic drinks, a separate ruling
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Rice wine, Shaoxing wine, sake or mirin: not vinegar
How to verify
- Plain rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar: follow your school on deliberately made vinegar.
- Seasoned rice vinegar or sushi vinegar: read the ingredients for sake, mirin or alcohol; those are added drinks, not vinegar.
- Rice wine, Shaoxing wine, sake and mirin are not vinegar.
- If you avoid made vinegar, look for vinegar certified by the body you follow, or use lemon juice.
Quick checks
- Is it vinegar, not rice wine, sake or mirin?
- Deliberately made vinegar: follow your school (Hanafi, MUI, IslamQA permit; Shafi'i rule and Malaysia's fatwa do not).
- Seasoned or sushi vinegar: check for added sake or mirin.
Why this ruling
Rice vinegar is made from rice wine: rice is fermented into an alcoholic liquid, which is then turned into vinegar. Japanese rice vinegar is made from rice or from sake lees, and Chinese vinegars of this kind are often sold as rice wine vinegar.[11]
The ruling
Because it starts as rice wine, rice vinegar is deliberately made vinegar, the case the schools differ on. The Hanafi school permits it,[3] Indonesia's MUI rules such vinegar Halal and pure,[7] and IslamQA, following Ibn 'Uthaymin, permits vinegar made by non-Muslims.[10] The classical Shafi'i and Hanbali position does not accept vinegar made by intervention,[9][1] and Malaysia's National Fatwa Committee ruled processed wine vinegar haram in 2006.[8] Shafi'i answers from Qibla and SeekersGuidance allow following the Hanafi view for commercial vinegar.[4] See vinegar for the full picture.
Seasoned rice vinegar and sushi vinegar
Sushi vinegar is a different bottle. Seasoned rice vinegar is made by adding sake, salt and sugar, and sometimes mirin.[11] Sake is an alcoholic drink, not vinegar, so a seasoned vinegar that lists sake or mirin raises a second question beyond the vinegar ruling; see sake. Plain rice vinegar with sugar and salt added at home avoids it.
Where you'll find it
- Sushi rice
- Dressings, dipping sauces and pickles
- Stir-fries and marinades
Frequently asked questions
Is rice vinegar Halal?
Is rice wine vinegar the same as rice vinegar?
Is sushi vinegar Halal?
Does rice vinegar contain alcohol?
Sources
Named Islamic, certifier, manufacturer, and regulatory sources used on this page. Inline markers like [1] jump here. Retrieval dates show when we last checked the live URL. Editorial methodology.
Islamic / scriptural
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IslamQA Retrieved
Wine that turns to vinegar by itself is permissible by consensus; vinegar made by deliberate treatment is disputed, with the Shafi'is, Hanbalis and some Malikis prohibiting it.
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Ruling on vinegar made from wine (276185)
IslamQA Retrieved
Records the Hanafi and some Maliki permission for deliberate conversion, and concludes that vinegar produced by non-Muslims by treating wine, such as commercial wine and balsamic vinegar, is permissible to consume.
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White wine vinegar: permissible or not?
SeekersGuidance (Shaykh Faraz Rabbani) Retrieved
Hanafi, 8 May 2010: wine vinegar is permitted whether it transformed by itself or through intervention.
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Is vinegar permissible in the Shafi'i school?
SeekersGuidance (Shaykh Jamir Meah) Retrieved
Shafi'i, 17 March 2018: permissible on condition nothing external was added during fermentation; for commercial vinegar, where the process is hard to know, there is no harm in adopting the Hanafi position.
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Food mixed with alcohol: is it permissible?
Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah Retrieved
"Scholars have unanimously agreed that alcohol is deemed pure if it transforms into vinegar"; minute quantities of an intoxicant that cannot intoxicate are lawful.
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Fatwa MUI No. 10 Tahun 2018: food and drink containing alcohol/ethanol
Majelis Ulama Indonesia Retrieved
Operative ruling: "Vinegar/cuka yang berasal dari khamr baik terjadi dengan sendirinya maupun melalui rekayasa, hukumnya halal dan suci" (vinegar from khamr, whether it turned by itself or was engineered, is Halal and pure). The fatwa records that scholars differ on engineered vinegar.
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Can one consume vinegar in the Shafi'i school?
Qibla, Ustadha Shazia Ahmad (via IslamQA.org) Retrieved
Shafi'i. Quotes Reliance of the Traveller e14.6: wine that becomes vinegar without anything introduced into it is pure, but if anything was introduced, turning to vinegar does not purify it. Adds that it is permissible to follow the Hanafi school, which holds vinegar made by intervention pure and permissible.
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IslamQA Retrieved
Deliberately turning wine into vinegar is not permissible (citing Ibn Taymiyyah), but following Ibn 'Uthaymin, vinegar made by non-Muslims who believe it lawful, including vinegar imported from non-Muslim countries, is permissible for Muslims.
Context / background
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Wikipedia Retrieved
How vinegar is made: acetic acid bacteria turn alcohol into acetic acid; wine, cider, malt, spirit and rice vinegar varieties.
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Cuka wain dari perspektif Islam: analisis fatwa Malaysia dan Indonesia
Jurnal Fiqh, University of Malaya (2016) Retrieved
Quotes the 2006 decision of Malaysia's National Fatwa Committee (paper JKF 3/73/2006): "Haram menggunakan cuka wain yang diproses dan dicampur dengan bahan-bahan luar" (using wine vinegar that has been processed and mixed with outside substances is haram), and notes that commercial vinegar is made by deliberately adding acetic acid bacteria.
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Wikipedia Retrieved
'Rice vinegar is a vinegar made from rice wine in East Asia (China, Japan and Korea), as well as in Vietnam.' Japanese rice vinegar is 'made from either rice or sake lees'; Chinese vinegars 'are therefore known as rice wine vinegars'. 'Seasoned rice vinegar (awasezu) is made by adding sake, salt and sugar. Additionally, mirin is also sometimes used.'
Halal-conscious recipes
A substitution-led recipe that uses this analysis.
