Reference: al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyah lil-Albaanee – Pages 38-39
According to the majority of the scholars, the ruling regarding alcohol is that it is impure; this is based upon His (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) saying:
And a group [of scholars] are of the opinion that it is pure; from amongst them is Rabee’ah ibn Abee ‘Abdir-Rahmaan – and he is the teacher of Imaam Maalik. And [likewise] from amongst them is al-Layth ibn Sa’d al-Misree – the faqeeh, about whom Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee said:
al-Layth has a greater understanding [of fiqh matters] than [Imaam] Maalik, except that his companions do not share his opinion [regarding the purity of alcohol].
And [likewise] from amongst them is Ismaa’eel ibn Yahya al-Muzanee, the companion of Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee.
And other than these, there are many from the scholars of the past – from the Baghdaadiyoon and the Qarawiyoon – who are all of the opinion that alcohol is pure, and that which is prohibited is [merely] drinking it, just as al-Qurtubee has mentioned in Volume 6, Page 88 of his tafseer. And it is the preponderant opinion, based upon the principle which has been cited [that all things are pure until their impurity has been established], and [the fact that] there is no opposing evidence [indicating otherwise].
And this is what the author of Subul as-Salaam [- Imaam ash-Showkaanee] has inclined toward, saying:
And what is correct is the base principle regarding all things is purity, and that prohibition does not necessitate impurity; Certainly, hashish is prohibited, yet it is pure; as for impurity, then it does not necessitate a prohibition.
And Shaykh Sayyid Saabiq preponders this [opinion] in Fiqh as-Sunnah. [And] the Prophet ﷺ said:
And there is an important point of benefit in this hadeeth, and it is a [strong] indication that alcohol is pure despite it being prohibited, otherwise the companions would not have spilt it in their thoroughfares and pathways, instead they would have spilt it far away – just as is the case with all [known] impurities, as indicated in his ﷺ satatement:
…and they asked: ‘What are the two things that bring curses?’ And he ﷺ responded:
