Question:

Assalamualikum, I have a question about in taking the foods of some companies where emulsifier of animal base is present, even though they are saying it 100% vegetarian based.

My first question is can we intake those things which are of animal origin but latter it is processed and transferred to an another compound.i.e,Any fat is a long chain fatty acid (CH3CH3CH3CH3CH3CH3COOH) but when it is used it is the salt of that acid(fatty acid reacted with metal like Na,K etc.i.e CH3CH3CH3CH3CH3CH3CH3COONa). So is it permissible to take this latter compound at all?

My second query is can we take alcohol as medicine or can we use haram ingredients like alcohol,animal fat derivatives as toilet commodities?

There are some companies who uses animal fat derivatives in their foo products but tells it 100% veg .How far we will trust them?Please for the shake of ALLAH you people give me a suitable answer so that I can tell my family that you can eat these or you can’t.Allah should show us the right way.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

There are two aspects to your query:

1. Using of animal products in food items.

2. Concern of 100% Vegetarian labelled food having animal fat derivatives.

Using of animal products in food items.

In principle, if any product contains animal derivatives then,

a. if the derivatives are used in their primary form, then only halal slaughtered, zabihah animal derivatives are permissible.

b. if the derivatives are not in their primary form, rather they have gone through some chemical process which does not change the product completely and complete metamorphosis does not take place, then only derivatives from halal source will be permissible for consumption.

c. if the derivatives are not in their primary form, rather they have gone through some chemical process which completely changes their structures (i.e. a complete metamorphosis), then such derivatives will become permissible for use.

Concern of 100% Vegetarian labelled food having animal fat derivatives.

Each country may have different laws with regards to labelling of food items as vegetarian. We would ask you to contact your Ministry of Food Processing Industries and inquire their laws relating to 100% vegetarian labels on food items.

You may view come guidelines here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_by_country#India

Regardless of the guidelines, if you perceive some ingredient from animal origin, then abstain from the product until clarifying with the company in question. If it indeed is an animal derivative in a vegetarian labelled product, then report it to the appropriate offices and inform the Muslims to abstain from that product as well.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Faisal bin Abdul Hameed al-Mahmudi
www.fatwa.ca

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
www.askimam.org