Nutmeg in food

Question: What is the ruling on using nutmeg in food? Sheikh Abu ’Amr Al-Hajoori ḥafidhahullāh: There are two types of nuts. One type is mentioned by many doctors as being used among herbs or spices, and this is not nutmeg. The other type is nutmeg, which is used in perfumes. This type has been mentioned by several authors of medical texts as being intoxicating. Among them is the author of 'Al-Muʿtamad'—although he is not reliable in terms of Aqidah, his work in the field of medicine is considered a major reference. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whatever intoxicates in large amounts, even a small amount of it is forbidden.” So even if a person would only become intoxicated after drinking 20 litres of it, it is still not allowed to consume even a single drop. Therefore, nutmeg is something that intoxicates, and it is forbidden to sell, buy, or use—whether in perfumes; which is not allowed, or even worse, to use it in tea or in food as a flavouring. There are many other lawful flavorings that can be used instead. Brothers, when people’s diets expanded and varieties of food became abundant, they started looking for anything that would stimulate the appetite so they could eat more. In the past, a person would be happy just to find a small bite to eat. This overindulgence is one of the causes of gluttony and excess.