Fatwa ID: 02977

Answered by:  Alimah Sumeyye Sofu​

Question:

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah

I just wanted to know if we are allowed to eat food which has been branded as halal if the company is based outside of the EU. For example Najma foods.

Answer:

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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

To determine the essence of the food is halal or haram we as Muslims have been given a basic guideline.

Does it contain alcohol? Pig fat or pig meat? Is it lawfully slaughtered? If the answer is no then we have surety that the esculent nature is halal. If there is ambiguity then the advice is to leave what is doubtful as that is more certain, pure for one’s mind and heart that one is not consuming an atom worth of Haram.

Allah (S.W.T) says in the Qur´an:“O you who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He whom ye worship”.(1)

From the above Ayah, we come to know that Allah (S.W.T) is commanding us that we should eat from the good which is in the meaning halal.

It is also mentioned in a hadith that: “Nu´man ibn Basheer said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters [eventually] falls into that which is unlawful”. (2)

Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him), the grandson of the Messenger of Allah ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), who said:

I memorized from the Messenger of Allah ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him): “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt. The truth brings tranquillity while falsehood sows doubt.”(3)

For your surety or if you are in doubt you could contact the company and ask them about the ingredients used or search the company as information is widely accessible. Merely seeing the label ‘halal’ on unknown products does not justify lawful consumption as nowadays the term ‘halal’ is used as a marketing strategy.

Only Allah Ta'ala knows best.

Written by Alimah Sumeyye Sofu

Check and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

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(1) Sura Bakara 172

(2) al-Bukhari 52 and Muslim 1599  Darus salam

(3) Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2518  Darus salam