Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Hizaam was asked:

Question:

We have a gum which is named Trident. It includes one gram of sugar alcohol and many Muslims use it and they do not know. What is the ruling on chewing this gum and is this amount [of alcohol] impermissible to chew?

Answer:

“Whatever intoxicates is impermissible. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

مَا أَسْكَرَ كَثِيرُهُ فَقَلِيلُهُ حَرَامٌ

What intoxicates in large amounts, a small amount of it is unlawful

[Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 3681]

If chewing a lot of this gum leads to intoxication, then it is impermissible to use it.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

دَعْ مَا يُرِيبُك إلَى مَا لَا يُرِيبُك

Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt

[Saheeh Tirmidhi no. 2518]

And he (ﷺ) said:

فَمَنْ اتَّقَى الشُّبُهَاتِ فَقْد اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ

Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor

[Bukhari and Muslim]

So it is upon the Muslim to avoid this gum if he knows that a lot of it intoxicates. In that case, a small amount is haram”

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Translator’s Note:

As the questioner mentioned, Trident gum has 1 gram of sugar alcohol. However, as it know by those who chew this gum, it is not capable of intoxicating a person even if they chewed an entire packet or two. So inshallah it remains upon its original ruling of permissibility. And Allah Knows Best.

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan