Is gelatin halal?
Gelatin is a protein taken from animal skins and bones — pigs, cattle or fish. Labels often leave the origin out, and the origin is what decides. Here is what Tayib shows, school by school, with its sources.
Below are the app's encyclopedia entries exactly as Tayib shows them: the four schools' reading, the explanation, the texts and the sources. Tayib informs, it does not certify — for your personal situation, ask a qualified scholar.
Is gelatin halal?
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 shop, when "Gelatin" appears on the ingredient list.
- 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.
5 entries · gelatin
Main entry firstGelatin
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.
Collagen
animal origin unspecified
Collagen comes from pig, cattle or fish skin and bones. Without a specified species, it still needs checking. The word ‘marine’ alone does not guarantee a fish origin.
Fish collagen
fish origin
Collagen derived from fish: permitted.
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
5 institutional opinions
Shown apart from the schoolsForbidden in food
International Islamic Fiqh Academy (OIC)
Pork-derived gelatin is not permitted in food, even when transformed to the point of being undetectable; it is tolerated in medicines when there is no alternative.
« It is not permissible to use pig-derived gelatin in foods through the method mentioned above, but it is permissible to use it in medicines unless there are alternatives. »
Resolution 225, question 24
Permitted if transformed (istihala)
Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah (Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta)
Gelatin derived from pigs or animals not ritually slaughtered is forbidden, unless its nature has been transformed (istihala) by the industrial process, in which case it becomes lawful.
« it is prohibited [haram] to consume foods that contain substances derived from pigs or unslaughtered animals unless the nature of these substances have transformed into another forms during industry or baking through chemical processing and the like. »
Fatwa no. 6891, 30 December 2014
Pork gelatin forbidden (impure)
Board of Iftaa', Islamic Studies and Research – General Iftaa' Department of Jordan
Gelatin extracted from pigs or impure animals is considered impure and forbidden in medicines and food supplements, except in cases of compelling necessity with no lawful alternative.
« it is impermissible to use the gelatin manufactured from the extracts of pork or impure animals for manufacturing medications or food supplements, or for coating them »
Resolution No. (128), (6/2009)
No decision; study postponed
International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA, OIC)
Resolution 210 (2015): the Academy postpones its study of gelatin. Its resolution 225 (2018), question 24, subsequently addresses pork gelatin in food specifically.
« Gelatin: The Academy considers assigning its Secretariat to conduct fur- ther research and study of the issue. »
Resolution No. 210 (6/22), Kuwait, 22–25 March 2015
Pork gelatin forbidden; no istihala
Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC UK) – Shariah Advisory Committee
According to HMC, the chemical transformation needed to make pork gelatin lawful does not occur, so any product containing it is forbidden.
« the chemical reaction and change required for the pork gelatin to become halal does not occur and therefore any substance that has pork gelatine cannot be used. »
Gelatine Statement, 2 October 2013, citing a 2010 fatwa by Mufti Sarfraz Mohammed
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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