Fatwa ID: 08585
Written by Maulana Sakib Shadman
Question:
I have read that gelatin can be found in products like tissue roll and kitchen towels. Is it necessary to contact the manufacturer every time to check if gelatine is in the product. If the kitchens roll has gelatine and it’s used in preparation of food (to soak up oil from fried food) will it be impermissible?
Also for cosmetics/products- is it necessary to check the source of every ingredient like glycerin or can it be assumed pure?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
It is commendable that you are meticulous in matters of Halal and Haram. In this day and age, unfortunately animal byproducts are used for a variety of applications as opposed to being discarded.
Tissue paper:- The gelatine used to bind tissue paper together is such that it has gone through a thorough metamorphosis (istihaalah). This means that the impure substance (e.g. gelatin) has chemically transformed into another substance that differs in its characteristics compared to the impure substance from which it was extracted. This new substance does not retain any of the characteristics of the impure substance from which it was derived. Thus it will be regarded as pure and is permissible to use. Food which comes into contact with paper towels is also permissible to eat.
Cosmetics:- As for cosmetics, deodorants, and anything that is applied externally, they are permissible to use as long as the ingredients are pure. Hence, you must check whether the ingredients such as glycerin are animal derived. You may need to call the manufacturer in this regard. If the manufacturer is not sure about the source of the ingredient, you may deem it to be from a plant source. Therefore you may purchase that cosmetic.
However, if one is certain that the cosmetic contains animal derived ingredients, the following applies:
- Firstly, ingredients extracted from bones, fur, feathers, teeth, etc. of any dead animal are considered pure (and permissible to use) unless the animal is a pig.
- If the ingredients (e.g. glycerin) are derived from any part of a pig, one must investigate whether these ingredients have gone through istilahah (thorough metamorphosis). If they have not gone through such a transformation, they will be impermissible to use.
In the case of cosmetics, most animal derived ingredients do go through istilahah. However certain ingredients such as gelatin are simply extracted but do not go through any chemical change. Hence this would render the cosmetic to be impermissible for use (if the gelatin is derived from a pig). You may call the manufacturer and ask if the animal derived ingredients are extracted from pig, and if so, have the ingredients gone through Istilahah. If they are not sure, you should avoid such cosmetics until a you can confirm with a reliable source.
Lipstick:- The above ruling applies to externally applied cosmetics. However with lipstick and facial cosmetics which have a risk of being ingested, one must avoid ALL animal derived ingredients in the same way one does with food (unless the animal derived ingredients are definitely from a halal animal which is slaughtered in a halal manner). And if one is not sure about the source of the ingredients, one must avoid such products.
In conclusion, it can be time-consuming to call the manufacturer every time you purchase cosmetics. However once you are able to identify which products are Halal, you should keep purchasing those products. No need to recheck the ingredients a second time.
Also, certain companies sell vegan friendly cosmetic products. If you shop online, you may even be able to find Halal certified cosmetics from overseas.
References:
وَ يَطْهُرُ (زَيْتٌ) تَنَجَّسَ (بِجَعْلِهِ صَابُونًا) بِهِ يُفْتَى لِلْبَلْوَى. كَتَنُّورٍ رُشَّ بِمَاءٍ نَجِسٍ
ص315 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – باب الأنجاس – المكتبة الشاملة
شَعْرُ الْمَيْتَةِ وَعَظْمُهَا طَاهِرَانِ وَكَذَا الْعَصَبُ وَالْحَافِرُ وَالْخُفُّ وَالظِّلْفُ وَالْقَرْنُ وَالصُّوفُ وَالْوَبَرُ وَالرِّيشُ وَالسِّنُّ وَالْمِنْقَارُ وَالْمِخْلَبُ وَكَذَا شَعْرُ الْإِنْسَانِ وَعَظْمُهُ وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ. هَكَذَا فِي الِاخْتِيَارِ شَرْحِ الْمُخْتَارِ هَذَا إذَا كَانَ الشَّعْرُ مَحْلُوقًا أَوْ مَجْزُوزًا أَمَّا إذَا كَانَ مَنْتُوفًا فَإِنَّهُ يَكُونُ نَجَسًا. كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ وَإِنْفَحَةُ الْمَيْتَةِ وَلَبَنُهَا فِي ضَرْعِهَا وَقِشْرُ الْبَيْضَةِ الْخَارِجَةِ وَالسَّخْلَةُ السَّاقِطَةُ مِنْ أُمِّهَا وَهِيَ مُبْتَلَّةٌ طَاهِرَةٌ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -. كَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ.
ص24 – كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية الفتاوى الهندية – الفصل الثاني فيما لا يجوز به التوضؤ – المكتبة الشاملة
المراهم والكريمات ومواد التجميل التي يدخل في تركيبها شحم الخنزير لا يجوز استعمالها إلا إذا تحققت فيها استحالة الشحم وانقلاب عينه. أما إذا لم يتحقق ذلك فهي نجسة.
ص263 – كتاب فتاوى يسألونك – حديثان مكذوبان – المكتبة الشاملة
[ولا ينجس شيء بالشك ما لم تعلم نجاسته .. ]ـ
ص44 – التحرير شرح الدليل كتاب الطهارة – مسألة ثياب الكفار طاهرة – المكتبة الشاملة
ولو كان وَدَك الميتة أو شحم الخنزير هو الغالب على الزيت أو كانا سواء لا يغلب واحد منهما على صاحبه لم ينبغ أن يُنتفَع بشيء منه، ولا يباع ولا يُستصبَح به ولا يُدهَن به جلد ولا غير ذلك؛ لأن وَدَك الميتة وشحم الخنزير إذا كانا الغالبين على الزيت فكأنه لا زيت معهما، وكان ذلك كله ميتة وشحم الخنزير، ولا ينبغي الانتفاع بذلك على حال.
ص221 – كتاب الأصل لمحمد بن الحسن ت بوينوكالن – كتاب التحري – المكتبة الشاملة
٦ – المواد الغذائية التي يدخل شحم الخنزير في تركيبها دون استحالة عينه مثل بعض الأجبان وبعض أنواع الزيت والدهن والسمن والزبد وبعض أنواع البسكويت والشوكولاته والآيس كريم، هي محرمة ولايحل أكلها مطلقاً، اعتباراً لإجماع أهل العلم على نجاسة شحم الخنزير وعدم حل أكله، ولانتفاء الاضطرار إلى تناول هذه المواد.
ص5265 – كتاب الفقه الإسلامي وأدلته للزحيلي – المبادئ العامة – المكتبة الشاملة
https://www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/cruelty-free-vegan-makeup/
https://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Toilet-Paper.html
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Sakib Shadman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
