Fatwa #401173 April 2018India
Can we consume a product if states suitable for vegetarians?
Question
I am here to seek your guidance on packed food products verifying..
I most of the time, more than 60 to 70 percentage of packed products like; juice, chips, ice cream find E-codes which are Masbooh(uncertain of source of extraction) and to be at safer side i abstain consuming it.
However, in India, every product should have a symbol to show weather that is vegeterian or non-veg and most of them will be veg.
My question is, can we trust the certification(given by Govt standard) and consider Masbooh ingredient to be veg if veg certified and consume it ?
My freind and i always have this veiw come accross and we end up abstaining...
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We commend you on following the path of abstaining from doubtful products. A Muslim should ensure that every product he/she uses for external or internal use is pure and free from impure substances.
It is not possible to issue a blanket ruling regarding the permissibility of any product bearing the suitable for vegetarian sign as ingredients differ from product to product. There is also a possibility of haram ingredients being present. The correct way to ascertain the halal status is to contact a reliable halal certifying organisation in your area and enquire from them. Alternatively, contact the manufacturer directly for details of the ingredients.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Huzaifah Deedat
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.