Fatwa ID: 01935
Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Question:
3 related questions.
1. There seems to be almost unanimous agreement amongst the researchers that there is a considerable amount of long term harm in eating white bread or anything else white for that matter like pasta, roti made with white flour etc (there is very good chance that it can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, IBS etc). It also makes a person overeat and get fatter (1 wholemeal bread will be equivalent to 2 white breads not only in filling up the belly, but in nourishment also). Plenty more cons of white bread if you look into it.
So, from a fiqh perspective can white bread be considered makrooh tahrimi/tanzhihi? Should Muslims be sticking to wholemeal foods?
2. The exact same question with regards to non-organic food, all the pesticides and chemicals etc will have negative side effects. So should Muslims be sticking to organic foods, and can non-organic foods be considered makrooh from fiqh perspective?
3. Finally when organic foods are grown, in this country (UK) and probably a lot of other countries it is pretty obvious that manure from lots of animals, including pigs will be used for fertiliser and pigs are even used in places to plough the land (pigs make for excellent plough animals). So the pig manure, does it effect the halaalness of the food grown?
Answer:
In the aforementioned scenario, it will not be considered Makruh Tanzihi and certainly not Tahrimi to consume non-organic food or white bread. The reason is simple and that is the aforementioned harm is not definite (qatee), but is uncertain, thus, it will not be considered Makruh. If this was the case even consuming meat will be Makruh. Click on the following link to find out why:
With regards to your final question, without doubt Islam has totally forbidden the consumption and the using of pigs.
Allah 
in the Holy Qur’an has said,
“He has forbidden you only the Maytah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols, on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is All Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Surah Baqarah v.173)
In another verse Allah (SWA) says,
“Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering)” (Surah Anaam v.145)
Pigs are considered to be Najasul Ain. Every part of their body, hair, saliva is considered filthy and impure. (Hidayah p.40 v.1)
The fruits and vegetables will be permissible to consume even though there may be pig manure on the fertilisers. The reason for its permissiilty is based on a famous Hanafi principle known as Tabdeel Mahiyat.
Tabdeel-e-Mahiyah is the total transformation of an item whereby the original components maintains no properties of its former state and differs completely from it in application and qualities and due to this fact the name of the item also changes. An example of this in the books of jurisprudence is given by ‘Allamah Ibn Aabideen in regards to grape juice (Aseer) which is pure but when it is fermented and it changes into wine (Khamr) it becomes impure and thereafter it can further change into vinegar [Khal] which is pure again. (Raddul Muhtar p.320 v.5)
Therefore, the conclusion we can come to is that as the fruits and vegetables have changed its essence completely it will be permissible to consume.
Only Allah Knows Best
Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
