What is the ruling on foods that contain what is called gelatin or bovine gelatin, if we know that the cow died a non-Shari'ah death?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
O honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling on foods that contain what is called bovine gelatin?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : Gelatin or gelatin, if we know that the cow died a non-Shari'ah death?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : A non-Shari'ah death.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. If it was not slaughtered according to the Shari'ah, or if it was slaughtered by one whose slaughter is not permissible, then it is carrion and its consumption is forbidden. So if a Zoroastrian slaughters a cow, it is forbidden, even if he mentions the name of Allah and drains the blood. And if a Muslim slaughters a cow but not in the Shari'ah manner, it is also forbidden carrion. If something is taken from its parts and mixed with other things, and its effect appears in taste, color, or smell, then it is also forbidden. But if it disappears in it and its effect does not appear, then there is no harm in it, because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to eat from the cheese of the Zoroastrians. The Zoroastrians' slaughtered animals are forbidden, but only a small amount is taken from the stomach linings that does not show its effect in the food. This indicates that a thing whose effect does not appear has no effect.
O honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling on foods that contain what is called bovine gelatin?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : Gelatin or gelatin, if we know that the cow died a non-Shari'ah death?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : A non-Shari'ah death.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. If it was not slaughtered according to the Shari'ah, or if it was slaughtered by one whose slaughter is not permissible, then it is carrion and its consumption is forbidden. So if a Zoroastrian slaughters a cow, it is forbidden, even if he mentions the name of Allah and drains the blood. And if a Muslim slaughters a cow but not in the Shari'ah manner, it is also forbidden carrion. If something is taken from its parts and mixed with other things, and its effect appears in taste, color, or smell, then it is also forbidden. But if it disappears in it and its effect does not appear, then there is no harm in it, because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to eat from the cheese of the Zoroastrians. The Zoroastrians' slaughtered animals are forbidden, but only a small amount is taken from the stomach linings that does not show its effect in the food. This indicates that a thing whose effect does not appear has no effect.