Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
- It is established in the Shari`ah that when the essence and characteristics of objects change, its legal ruling subsequently changes.
- Alcohol is not considered as wine if it is mixed with perfume, medicine or detergents. Likewise, if wine spontaneously converts to vinegar, it is considered pure by the Shari’ah.
Answering your question, Dar Al-Ifta Al-Misriyyah, states:
Scholars agree that alcohol is not an impure substance and it is permissible to be used in (manufacturing) perfumes, detergents, medicine and other useful items. If one performs prayer while wearing perfume containing alcohol, their prayer is valid, because, according to the Shari’ah, objects are principally pure.
Although it is prohibited in the Shari`ah to drink alcohol, that does not necessitate it to be impure. This is because impurity is attached to the rulings of the Shari`ah which necessitates separate evidence.
It is not a liquid intoxicant, such as wine, which scholars have differed over determining its impure or pure properties.
Alcohol is prohibited because it is harmful and destructive.
It is established in the Shari`ah that when the essence and characteristics of objects change, its legal ruling subsequently changes.
Alcohol is not considered as wine if it is mixed with perfume, medicine or detergents. Likewise, if wine spontaneously converts to vinegar, it is considered pure by the Shari`ah.
Almighty Allah knows best.
Source: http://www.dar-alifta.org/Foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=10581