Can I drink non-alcoholic mulled wine?

What alcohol-free mulled wine is

Mulled wine (Glühwein in Germany) is wine heated with spices like cinnamon, cloves, star anise and orange. Alcohol-free versions are usually made one of two ways:

• From fruit juice: apple, grape, cherry or blackcurrant juice simmered with the same spices. In Germany this is often sold as Kinderpunsch (children's punch), which is usually made from juice with no wine.
• From dealcoholised wine: real wine with the alcohol removed, which can still contain a small amount, often up to about 0.5%. This is similar to the question of non-alcoholic beer. See Can I still drink non-alcoholic beer as a Muslim?

The first is fine for most Muslims. Spiced fruit juice is lawful, and fresh juice that isn't fermented is not intoxicating.

Traces, names and looks

Some scholars cite the hadith "If a large amount of anything causes intoxication, a small amount of it is prohibited" (Sunan Abi Dawud 3681) and avoid anything with even traces of alcohol. Others say such tiny amounts cannot intoxicate and don't count. Because of this difference, juice-based drinks are the safest option.

Names and looks matter too, mainly because of doubt. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor" (Sahih al-Bukhari 52). A halal drink in a wine glass called "wine" can leave other Muslims, or your own conscience, uncertain. Choose a clearly labelled juice drink if you can.

At a Christmas market

• Ask the stall: "Is this made from juice, with no wine at all?"
• Look for a separate pot or a sign saying "alkoholfrei" or "alcohol-free".
• If staff aren't sure, choose hot chocolate, tea or apple juice instead.

For other market tips, see Can I go to a Christmas market as a Muslim?

Make it at home

Heat a litre of apple or grape juice gently with a cinnamon stick, three cloves, a star anise and a few orange slices. Don't let it boil. Serve it hot and drink it the same day. The Prophet ﷺ drank a steeped fruit drink for up to three days and then gave away or poured out what was left (Sahih Muslim 2004), so don't keep fruit drinks for long.