MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – The Council for Religious Opinion and Tajdid of Muhammadiyah’s Central Board has officially issued a fatwa (Islamic legal ruling) concerning the use of mirin, a Japanese traditional seasoning, in cooking for Muslims, particularly those who live in Japan as a minority.
The fatwa was announced by Muhamad Rofiq Muzakkir, the secretary of the council, in Pengajian Tarjih (Tarjih Study Forum) on Wednesday (01/10) in Yogyakarta. The decision was made in response to a question raised by a muslimah in Japan concerning the halal status on the use of mirin.
Mirin plays an essential seasoning in Japanese cuisine. Unlike Indonesian tradition which relies on the use of various spices, Japanese use mirin to enhance flavour, preserve texture, remove unpleasant odors, especially on meat or fish based cuisine.
Mirin is made from sticky rice, rice yeast, alcohol produced from fermentation, and sugar. It should go through a fermentation process which could take between 40 to 60 days to fully develop. The fermentation process, then, produces an alcohol content ranging from 12,5% to 14,5%.
The problem lies in the alcohol level of mirin. However, in actual cooking, mirin is usually cooked at high temperature until the alcohol fully evaporates, leaving only a hint of exquisite sweetness without any intoxicating effect. A resource person from Japan, moreover, explained that mirin is completely safe to be consumed by pregnant women or even a baby, and is generally treated as a seasoning rather than alcoholic beverage.
It is also shown by how mirin is treated by the Japanese policy. Mirin is taxed way lower compared to beer or other alcoholic beverages. Nonetheless, in specific celebratory events such as New Year’s, some Japanese do drink mirin as a beverage to get them intoxicated.Thus, mirin, in such contexts is seen as khamr.
In formulating the fatwa the Council for Religious Opinion and Tajdid is examining fiqh al-aqallīyāt (Jurisprudence for Muslim Minorities). Fiqh al-aqallīyāt is the law to regulate the needs of Muslims who live as a minority in a non-muslim country.
The main principle of this approach is to create simplicity without violating the shari’ah (Islamic law), maintaining Islamic identity while at the same time integrating to the local society, by also considering the ever-changing world and local context.
In the analysis, The Council for Religious Opinion and Tajdid is applying several fiqh principles. These are al-masyaqqah tajlib al-taysīr (hardship brings ease), al-ḥukm ‘ala al-shay’ far‘un ‘an taṣawwurihi (the ruling on something depends on understanding it), and al-umūr bi-maqāṣidihā (matters are judged by their intentions).
Other than that, mirin is seen as the culinary necessity for the Japanese that is deeply rooted to their tradition. Thus, the council applied the principle of al-ḥājah qad tanzilu manzilat al-ḍarūrah (a need may be treated like a necessity) and al-‘ādah muḥakkamah (custom is given legal weight). It is similar to the fatwa of eating tape (Indonesian fermented cuisine) that contains a small amount of alcohol, but is not considered as khamr.
Another perspective taken into consideration is the concept of istiḥālah (chemical transformation). Thereby, it could be concluded that the alcohol level contained in mirin evaporates during the cooking process and the intoxicating effect is gone altogether.
The council is also referring to a scholar’s opinion which stated that alcohol is not najis (impure) substantially, instead it is only najis if it is treated (or consumed) as a substitute of khamr. This view is in line with the opinion of European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), Al-Syawkani, and The Council for Islamic Opinion and Tajdid in its 2023 fatwa.
Drawing from the halaqah study session in January 2025 and the fatwa committee meeting on September 19, 2025, the Majelis Tarjih issued three legal rulings:
- The use of mirin as a cooking ingredient is permissible (mubāḥ) for Muslims in Japan, provided that it is cooked until the alcohol evaporates, rendering it no longer intoxicating. In this context, mirin is not considered najis (impure).
- Drinking mirin directly or using it without cooking remains ḥarām (forbidden) because of its intoxicating potential.
- This fatwa applies specifically to the Japanese context. In Indonesia, the use of mirin is not permitted, as it is considered unnecessary and to prevent possible misuse.
This fatwa also takes into account the views of contemporary scholars such as Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī and the AMJA (Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America) fatwa, which permit the use of small amounts of alcohol as food additives after undergoing the process of istiḥālah. However, in the Indonesian context, the council applies the principle of sadd al-dharī‘ah (preventing the means to harm) by prohibiting the use of mirin.
According to the council, this decision reflects an effort to offer relevant solutions for Muslim minorities in Japan while upholding the shari’ah, respecting local culture, and preserving Islamic identity. (Bintang Adrian)
