Fatwa ID: 05204

 

Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah

 

Question

 

Salam, I wanted to ask what kind of rules to follow for chips/snacks that contain enzymes in them that are not pork? Like is it ok to eat chips that have enzymes in them that are from chicken or cow not slaughtered in a halal way? I’m not sure what exactly enzymes are but they are derived from animals is what I know. Just recently I discovered that almost every kind of chip has enzymes and I’m not sure what to do?

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

An enzyme is a substance that acts as a catalyst in living organisms, regulating the rate at which chemical reactions proceed without itself being altered in the process.

 

Cheese made with animal rennet other than a pig source is halal. The fuqaha explain, however, that it is better to avoid whenever reasonably possible when its source is unknown because of the difference of opinion between the Sunni schools of Fiqh regarding its permissibility and the doubt therein.

 

The rennet of a dead body albeit is a fluid substance, and its milk is pure, as opposed to the view of Imam Abu Yusuf ) r.a) and Imam Muhammad (r.a), because of the rennet and the fluid being unclean due to uncleanness of the place. Its uncleanliness does not affect the state of life, as the milk that comes out from in between offal and blood is pure, likewise after death.[1]

 

The ruling of Imam Abu Yusuf (r.a) and Imam Muhammad (r.a) is more cautious, whereas that of Imam Abu Hanifa (r.a) is widespread or accommodating. It is better if a person abstains from it. However, the rennet derived from the stomach of a pig is Haram and Impure, provided its original property and chemical makeup do not undergo any severe change. If nothing impure has been added to vegetarian or synthetic rennet, it will be Halal.

 

According to Imam Abu Hanifa) رحمه الله (the rennet of a dead animal is pure just like an egg.[2]

 

Imam Abu Hanifa) رحمه الله (also said: The milk of the dead animal and its rennet are pure, and the ruling of death does not apply.[3]

 

It has been reported on the authority of Abdullah Bin Umar ( رضى الله عنهما )

he said;عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قالَ: «أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِجُبْنَةٍ فِي تَبُوكَ، فَدَعا بِسِكِّينٍ، فَسَمّى وقَطَعَ

“The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), was given cheese in Tabuk, so he called for a knife, then he read Tasmiyah ( the name of Allah) and cut it.[4]

 

The ruling in Hanafi Fiqh is giving upon the view of Imam Abu Hanifa. Therefore, if the rennet is extracted from lawful animals it is lawful to consume, regardless if it is slaughtered in accordance to Shariah or not.

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Syed Johir Miah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

[1]وإنْفَحَةُ المَيْتَةِ ولَوْ مائِعَةً ولَبَنُها طاهِرٌ كالمُذَكّاةِ خِلافًا لَهُما لِتَنَجُّسِهِما بِنَجاسَةِ المَحَلِّ. قُلْنا نَجاسَتُهُ لا تُؤَثِّرُ فِي حالِ الحَياةِ إذْ اللَّبَنُ الخارِجُ مِن بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ ودَمٍ طاهِرٌ فَكَذا بَعْدَ المَوْتRaddul Muhtar, 206/1, DarulFikr, Beirut, Lebanon, 1412 H.

[2]وحَكى العَبْدَرِيُّ عَنْ مالِكٍ وأحْمَدَ فِي أصَحِّ الرِّوايَتَيْنِ عَنْهُ نَجاسَةَ الإنْفَحَةِ المَيْتَةِ كَمَذْهَبِنا: وعَنْ أبِي حَنِيفَةَ وأحْمَدَ فِي الرِّوايَةِ الأُخْرى أنَّها طاهِرَةٌ كالبَيْضِ Al-Majmoo’ Sharhul Muhazzab, 570/2, DarulFikr,

[3] Mukhtasar Ikhtilaful Ulama, Tahawee, 357/4, DarulBashair Al-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon

[4] Sunan Abu Dawud, 3819, Al-Maktbatul Asriyyah, Beirut, Lebanon.