A student mufti says that the view of Imaam Muhammad (rahmatullah alayh) on the prohibition of ethanol or non-khamr alcohol is weak, hence soft drinks

Answer

This is the era of moron 'muftis' doling out moron 'fatwas'. The fellow is too stupid. He is unable to distinguish between right and left. He does not know whether he places his hands on najaasat or on a snake gathering firewood on a dark night in the woods. It is demeaning to even comment of the silly comment the jaahil has expressed about Imaam Muhammad (rahmatullah alayh). Imaam Muhammad's view has been the official Fatwa of the Hanafi, Shaafi', Maaliki and Hambali Math-habs since the past fourteen centuries. Only a pure jaahil wallowing in compound ignorance (jahl muraqqab) makes such a preposterous statement as did this ignorant student.

The ethanol prohibition in terms of Imaam Muhammad's fatwa will remain in force until the Day of Qiyaamah. In fact, the extremely harmful health effects of soft drinks have solidified the fatwa of prohibition. The factors for the prohibition are therefore:

1) Muskir, i.e. an intoxicating substance which is haraam unanimously according to the three Math-habs and Imaam Muhammad (rahmatullah alayh).

2) Dharar, i.e. extremely harmful. Soft drinks cause a variety of serious diseases. This has been confirmed by numerous medical experts.

3) Sadd-e-Baab, i.e. Closing the avenue for fitnah. The ethanol argument will later be used to legalize whisky, gin, vodka and most liquors which are all of the non-khamr category. All these liquors contain ethanol. If taken in small quantities they too would be 'halaal' in terms of the stupid fatwa of permissibility.