Halal sweets: what to check
In a sweet, a few words in the ingredient list are enough to change the verdict: gelatin and its origin, a colouring such as carmine, a humectant, a flavouring. Tayib reads them one by one and ranks the aisle in its 'Top halal'.
Below are the ingredients Tayib checks in this aisle, with the four schools' reading taken from the app. In the app, Top halal ranks the aisle's halal products by Tayib score. Tayib informs, it does not certify.
Halal sweets: what to check
Gelatin: "doubtful" for all four schools in Tayib (animal origin unspecified). Gelatin may come from pigs, cattle or fish, among other sources; the species and production conditions need to be specified. With no specified origin, it remains doubtful; the word ‘halal’ in the list, without a certifier, is no more sufficient than it is for meat. Fish gelatin is permitted. Some opinions accept fully transformed gelatin (istihala), while others reject it.
- 01.
In the sweets aisle, when you hesitate between two products.
- 02.
When the label leaves out an ingredient's origin and you want to know what is missing.
- 03.
When someone says "it's halal" or "it's haram" with no source, and you want the argument.
7 entries · sweets
What Tayib checksGelatin
animal origin unspecified
Gelatin may come from pigs, cattle or fish, among other sources; the species and production conditions need to be specified. With no specified origin, it remains doubtful; the word ‘halal’ in the list, without a certifier, is no more sufficient than it is for meat. Fish gelatin is permitted. Some opinions accept fully transformed gelatin (istihala), while others reject it.
Pork gelatin
pork derivative
Gelatin extracted from pork. The majority of scholars and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy do not consider it purified by transformation.
Fish gelatin
fish origin
Fish gelatin: permitted in all four schools.
Carmine (E120)
colouring derived from an insect
A colouring extracted from cochineal. The Hanafi, Shafi‘i and Hanbali readings adopted here prohibit it. The Maliki choice still needs checking: the name E120 does not establish the conditions of the process or the opinion followed. Contemporary permissions are presented separately in the institutions’ opinions.
Glycerine (E422)
possible animal origin
Glycerine may come from plant or animal fats, or be synthetic. Doubtful without further information.
Mono- and diglycerides (E471)
possible animal origin
An emulsifier made from plant or animal fats. The label rarely specifies which: doubtful until plant origin is indicated.
Alcohol flavouring
may contain alcohol
A flavouring named after an alcoholic drink other than wine: it may contain the alcohol itself or merely imitate its taste. Contemporary opinions differ and set conditions. MUIS permits a flavouring solvent not derived from khamr, with at most 0.5% in the flavouring and 0.1% in the finished product. Without established origin, use and amount, Tayib leaves this point to be checked in all schools.
What the texts say
Qur'an and hadith cited by the appQur’an 5:3
Verse
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟ بِٱلْأَزْلَـٰمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِ ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًا ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّإِثْمٍ ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
« Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islām as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful. »
Sahih International
Qur’an 6:145
Verse
قُل لَّآ أَجِدُ فِى مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلَىٰ طَاعِمٍ يَطْعَمُهُۥٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَكُونَ مَيْتَةً أَوْ دَمًا مَّسْفُوحًا أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنزِيرٍ فَإِنَّهُۥ رِجْسٌ أَوْ فِسْقًا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
« Say, "I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allāh. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful." »
Sahih International
Qur’an 2:173
Verse
إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
« He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful. »
Sahih International
Qur’an 7:157
Verse
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْخَبَـٰٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَٱلْأَغْلَـٰلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
« Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful. »
Sahih International
Sunan Abi Dawud 3681 · Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani)
Hadith
« Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If a large amount of anything causes intoxication, a small amount of it is prohibited. »
Prof. Ahmad Hasan — wording as published by Sunnah.com
Gelatin and istihala
When does a material change its nature?
Gelatin is extracted from animal materials, particularly skin and bones, whose species needs to be specified. Without a specified origin, it is therefore doubtful; if derived from pigs, it is forbidden according to the vast majority of scholars.
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟ بِٱلْأَزْلَـٰمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِ ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًا ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّإِثْمٍ ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islām as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.”
Istihala
Istihala means the complete transformation of one substance into another. Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta conditions its permission on a real change of nature (opinion 6891). The International Islamic Fiqh Academy postponed its study of gelatin in resolution 210 of 2015, then prohibited pork gelatin in food in answer 24 of resolution 225 of 2018. These references are available in the encyclopaedia; the word ‘transformed’ on a product does not prove complete istihala.
In practice: fish gelatin raises no question; bovine gelatin or gelatin merely ‘declared halal’ without a certifier remains doubtful; pork gelatin is classified as haram by Tayib.
What people often ask
The debate concerns istihala: does a complete chemical transformation change the nature of the material? Some Hanafi and Maliki opinions accept this and consider the gelatin pure; others hold that gelatin retains the nature of its original material. For bovine gelatin, the question of slaughter also arises.
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