Alcohol Used In Bread, Cakes Etc
I agree with your main point, and I think you are right in saying that Allah does not punish people for what they cannot reasonably avoid or do not know. Accountability in Islam is based on intention, knowledge, and realistic ability. That said, there is also an important nuance. In many food products, especially in non-Muslim countries, certain substances related to alcohol are used for technical reasons, such as preservation or processing. For example, in bread and other baked goods, alcohol-related agents or fermentation by-products may be present in very small amounts, and in many cases they evaporate or disappear during the production process. Of course, it is possible to find products without these substances, but in practice this can be quite difficult, especially when they are widespread and not clearly indicated. This is why Islamic scholars distinguish between intentional consumption of alcohol as such and incidental or transformed substances used in food production. In Islamic jurisprudence, there is also the concept of istihāla (transformation), where a substance that is originally haram undergoes a complete change in its nature and properties. If the intoxicating effect and original characteristics are no longer present, many scholars consider the final product permissible. I am not saying that products with clearly stated alcohol percentages (for example, drinks labeled as containing 1% alcohol) should be considered acceptable. Rather, the point is that trace amounts, processing aids, or transformed substances that no longer intoxicate and are not consumed as alcohol fall into a different category. Ultimately, Islam does not expect believers to live in constant anxiety or suspicion, especially in societies where these issues are embedded in the food system. Allah knows our intentions and our limitations. JazakAllah Khair