Fatwa #896630 June 2003United States of America
Is fruit halal? 1.) If a fruit is genetically engineered, is it still halal and permissible to consume?
Question
Assalamaulakum, respected Mufti. I have several questions. 1.) If a fruit is genetically engineered, is it still halal and permissible to consume? Does that mean that all fruits are halal? 2.) I have heard that some fruits (i.e. apples) may be glazed with animal fat. I am skeptical about this, but is it true? If I washed the fruit 3 times with water, will I be able to consume to the apple? 2.) If nuts are genetically engineered, are they still halal and permissible to consume? Does that mean that all nuts are halal? 3.) I have heard about hidden ingredients in foods (from muslimconsumergroup.com and albalagh.net). I have a box of baking soda, a bottle of vinegar, and a bag of sugar at home. They are all basic foods; should I worry about hidden ingredients being inside them? 4.) I have heard that packaging can be haram (eat-halal.com). What if the food inside the packaging is dry food; will it be permissible to eat the food even if it is in haram packaging? Jazakhallahu Khairun.
Answer
1. Genetically grown fruit are Halaal.
2. Glazed fruit if washed does not remove the glazing agents. Thus, only fruit glazed with Halaal slaughtered animats fat will be Halal for consumption.
3. Geneticall grown nuts would be Halaal.
4. No need to worry about the ingredients of these foods, but if you have conviction that such ingredients are used in them then abstain.
5. It would depend on what type of Haraam packaging and what type of foods. If the food is contaminated by the packaging, then the food would be Haraam for consumption.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
2. Glazed fruit if washed does not remove the glazing agents. Thus, only fruit glazed with Halaal slaughtered animats fat will be Halal for consumption.
3. Geneticall grown nuts would be Halaal.
4. No need to worry about the ingredients of these foods, but if you have conviction that such ingredients are used in them then abstain.
5. It would depend on what type of Haraam packaging and what type of foods. If the food is contaminated by the packaging, then the food would be Haraam for consumption.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai