Many people wonder if gelatine is halal. It is found in a lot of sweets and desserts, as well as medicines, like the nasal flu shot.
Imams Shafi’, Maliki and Hanbali held that once something is impure then it is always impure.
Hanafi thought says that if something’s state changes, then what was already dirty becomes clean.
As an example of a substance that goes through a process of change and becomes pure, vinegar is made from fermented alcohol but is now allowed to be used.
Gelatin is a common ingredient used to make a variety of food products like desserts, yogurts, ice cream, marshmallows, and many others. It acts as a gelling agent, stabilizer, thickener, and emulsifier. Gelatin can be derived from the bones, skins, and tissues of animals. The source of gelatin has caused much confusion among Muslims regarding its permissibility according to Islamic law. This article will examine if beef gelatin is halal for Muslims who follow the Hanafi school of thought.
What is Gelatin?
Gelatin is a colorless, tasteless protein obtained by boiling the bones, skins, and tissues of animals. It is made up of a protein called collagen, which is found in the bones, skins, and connective tissues of animals. Gelatin has unique properties that allow it to gel, solidify, and thicken.
During the manufacturing process, the animal parts are boiled in water to extract the collagen The collagen is then filtered, concentrated and dried to produce gelatin powder or sheets The type of gelatin depends on the animal source
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Pig skin: Produces gelatin with the strongest gelling ability. Hence, it’s commonly used in food products.
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Beef bones and cattle hides Produces moderately strong gels,
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Fish skin: Yields weaker gels with a low gelling temperature.
The Issue of Gelatin in Islam
For Muslims who strictly follow the Islamic dietary laws, the source of gelatin is an important concern. Pork and any of its by-products are completely prohibited according to the Quran. Hence, pig gelatin is not halal.
The use of cattle, sheep, goat, and fish gelatin has caused much debate among Islamic scholars. The Hanafi school of thought has analyzed this issue in great detail to determine the permissibility of these sources of gelatin.
Ruling According to the Hanafi School
The Hanafi school of Islamic law has ruled the following about non-pork gelatin:
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Gelatin derived from halal slaughtered animals is considered halal. This includes cattle, sheep, lamb, goat, fish, deer, etc slaughtered according to Islamic dietary law. Their bones and skins may be used to produce halal gelatin.
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Gelatin derived from animals killed incorrectly or not slaughtered according to shariah is regarded as haram.
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Gelatin derived from animals which are forbidden to eat, such as dogs, snakes, monkeys, elephants etc is not permitted.
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Gelatin made from cattle bones or cattle hides is halal since cattle is a halal animal.
The reasoning behind permitting cattle gelatin is based on the following principles:
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Beef gelatin undergoes complete chemical change during manufacturing. It’s converted into a new substance, so the final gelatin product is halal.
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Beef gelatin does not contain meat or flesh. It’s made from bones and skins which are not considered meat in Islam.
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Bones of permitted animals are taahir (pure) according to the Hanafi school.
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Hides and skins of halal animals are regarded as paak (pure) after tanning. Tanning removes the impurities.
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Gelatin derived from fish is unanimously regarded as halal by all schools of thought.
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Gelatin derived from the bones of halal animals slaughtered Islamically is considered tayyib (pure) and halal.
Based on these principles, beef gelatin is permissible according to the Hanafi school of fiqh.
Supporting Evidence for Hanafi Ruling
The Hanafi ruling on the permissibility of beef gelatin is supported by many Islamic legal bodies and authorities. Here is the evidence:
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The UK-based Halal Food Authority and Canada’s ISNA approve beef gelatin as halal.
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Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi states bovine gelatin is halal since it’s obtained from the hides and bones of animals slaughtered properly.
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The Iranian religious legal research centre states: “If gelatin is extracted from halal animals like cow, and has not been mixed with haram ingredients, there would be no problem in eating it.”
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The Majlis Ulema Halaal Foundation of South Africa also rules bovine gelatin as halal.
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Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam of Darul Iftaa states: “Gelatin (Jello) is permissible, since it is extracted and obtained from the hides and skins of Halal animals. It goes through certain processing making it inedible thereafter.”
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The Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America’s Resolution also confirms the permissibility of gelatin from halal-slaughtered bovine sources.
The Bottom Line
The Fiqh principle of change
The Arabic term for transformation is Istihaala.
From the point of view of Fiqh, isstihalah means changing the nature of a substance so that it is completely different chemically and physically.
Can Muslims eat gelatin ! #HUDATV
FAQ
Is beef gelatin halal or Haram?
Does beef gelatin contain beef?
How to tell if gelatin is halal?
Is halal beef gelatin kosher?
Is beef gelatin halal?
Beef gelatin is considered halal in the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence. This is because it is derived from the bones and hides of cattle, which are considered permissible according to Islamic dietary laws. Gelatin itself is a protein substance that comes from the collagen found in animal bones, skin, and connective tissue.
Is gelatine from pork halal?
Gelatine from pork is haram in all circumstances. Gelatine from beef (or any other halal animal) is halal only if it comes from a halal slaughtered animal. This leaves us with the question of Gelatine from non-halal slaughtered beef (or other halal animals).
Is gelatin halal if a cow is not slaughtered according to Shariah?
Answer: If the cow had been slaughtered according to Shariah, then there would be no harm in eating it and it would be considered halal. However, if the cow was not slaughtered according to the rules of Shariah then the gelatin will be haram. Some scholars have argued that Qalb Al-Mahiyah (metamorphosis) has occurred in the production of gelatin.
Is hydrolyzed gelatine halal?
Understanding the above the hydrolyzed gelatine will not be halal to consume if these three conditions have not been met. Only Allah knows best Written by Alimah Sadmira Muric Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham The Fiqh of Food and Drinks, Ad-Duha London 2009, page 24