✅ Herbal distillates are beverages that are made from certain plants. The common method of production is to put plants like mint, fumitory, etc., in water and boil them. The resulting water vapor, which is mixed with the essence and flavor of the plant, is collected in another container by various methods and used for different purposes.

✅ No specific prohibition or recommendation has been transmitted in the narrations regarding herbal distillates.

However, there are narrations about rose water, which is one of the most famous herbal distillates:

1 Ja'far ibn Ahmad al-Makfuf said: 'I wrote to Abul Hasan al-Awwal (Imam Musa al-Kadhim) asking him about beverages that we have, such as: 'Sikinjibin' (oxymel), 'Jullab' (rose water), mulberry paste, pomegranate paste, quince paste, and apple paste, when the seller is not an 'Arif' (knowledgeable of their production), and they are sold in our markets.'

The Imam wrote in response: 'It is permissible and there is no objection!'

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6

Ja'far ibn Ahmad said: 'I wrote to Abul Hasan al-Awwal (Imam Kadhim, peace be upon him) and asked him about 'Sikinjibin', rose water, mulberry paste, apple paste, quince paste, and pomegranate paste.'

2 جعفربن أَحمدالْمكفوف قال كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْه يَعْنِي أَباالْحسنِ الْأَوَّل أَسْأَلُهُ عَن السِّكَنْجَبِين و الْجُلَّابِ و رُبِّ التُّوتِ و رُبِّ التُّفَّاح و رُبِّ السَّفَرْجَل و رُبِّ الرُّمَّان فَكَتَب حَلَالٌ

The Imam wrote: 'It is permissible!'

✅ Some have claimed that the absence of a specific narration for herbal distillates indicates that they are prohibited or have no benefit. However, the absence of a specific narration for something does not indicate that it is prohibited, because Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

'Everything is absolute until a prohibition concerning it is transmitted!'

📚 Faqih, Vol. 1

كُلُّ شَيْ ءٍ مُطْلَقٌ حَتَّى يَرِدَ فِيهِ نَهْيٌ

✅ Some claim that alcohol is produced in herbal distillates!

But it should be noted that the general principle transmitted in this regard is as follows, as Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said:

'Every intoxicating substance is forbidden, and what causes intoxication in large amounts is also forbidden in small amounts!'

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6

كُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ و ما أَسْكَرَ كَثِيرُهُ فَقَلِيلُهُ حَرَامٌ

✅ Of course, no report of intoxication from a little or a lot of herbal distillates has been mentioned or is known. But this is a general principle that is a criterion for permissibility and prohibition for all beverages.

It should also be noted that the analysis of foods and beverages and the claim of the existence of a certain amount of alcohol in that food or beverage are not considered a criterion or principle. In this regard, please refer to the following question:

t.me/porseshvapasokhe/162

✅ Sometimes it is claimed that the presence of woody stems of some plants in the process of making herbal distillates, such as mint stems, leads to the production of 'wood alcohol' (or methanol or methyl alcohol) in the distillates, which, although this type of alcohol is not intoxicating, is very harmful to some organs such as the eyes, liver, and kidneys. Of course, it is said that using only the leaves of the plants and removing the woody stems prevents the production of methanol in the process of making herbal distillates. In any case, the harmfulness of a specific form and type of distillate does not call all of them into question or make them problematic. Of course, the general principle transmitted on this subject, including the luminous words of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) in the definition of extravagance, is:

'Indeed, extravagance is in that which wastes money and harms the body!'

📚 Tahdhib, Vol. 1

إِنَّمَا الْإِسْرَافُ فِيمَا أَتْلَفَ الْمَالَ وَ أَضَرَّ بِالْبَدَن

And Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) also said:

'As for the types of vegetables from among the things that are harmful for a person to eat, such as vegetables containing deadly poisons, and like oleander and other types of deadly poisons, it is forbidden to eat them!'

📚 Wasail al-Shi'ah, Vol. 25

و ما كَان مِنْ صُنُوف الْبُقُول مِمَّا فِيه الْمَضَرَّةُ عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ فِي أَكْلِهِ نَظِيرِ بُقُول السُّمُوم الْقَاتِلَةِ و نَظِير الدِّفْلَى و غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِنْ صُنُوفِ السَّمِّ الْقَاتِل فَحَرَامٌ أَكْلُهُ

✅ According to the two general principles above and others, if the specific harmfulness and deadliness of herbal distillates are proven, they are considered extravagance, and extravagance is considered one of the major sins in the narrations.

But have those who consider all herbal distillates forbidden proven such harm for them?

✅ Some of the general principles of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in explaining the topic of herbal distillates were mentioned, which we hope will provide us with more awareness about this matter by applying them.