Assalam alaykum,

I read that all vanilla is extracted using alcohol. Is this true? And if it is, does that mean that all sweets and ice cream that contains vanilla extract is prohibited or "haram"?

Thank you,

All praise be to Allah, and may His peace and blessings be on His final and greatest messenger, Muhammad.

Dear Enquirer,

Thank you for your trust in us, as well as your keenness to follow the guidance of Allah and His Messenger. May Allah give us and you consistency and steadfastness on His path.

Let me first tell you that there will always be halal alternatives. Many people choose to be vegetarian or even vegan for their health and many do so for religious reasons, such as certain types of Buddhists and Hindus. Therefore, if it comes down to becoming vegetarian for the sake of Allah, out of compliance with His true deen, I don't think that would be a price any sane person would hesitate to pay. Also, many people avoid eating out all together, because it is unhealthy.

Thanks be to Allah, this is not the case. You will always have fish to eat. Also, you may eat all halal and kosher foods.

As for meat, I would choose to abstain from all meat, except halal or kosher products. That is because there is enough data out there to make us doubt whether or not the meat is slaughtered and whether or not it was slaughtered by someone whose meat we can eat.

As for other food ingredients, I would recommend you also avoid:

1-      Lard (which is almost obsolete).

2-      Animal shortening (which is almost obsolete).

3-      Gelatin (except in medicines if there are no alternatives).

4-      Glycerin (except in medicines if there are no alternatives).

5-      Liquor, when not otherwise defined. That is different from chocolate liquor, since the word, "liquor," just means "liquid," but when mentioned alone, it refers to alcoholic beverages.

As for the other products, such as lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, and the various enzymes, I would consider them permissible for consumption for the following reasons:

1-      It has been authentically reported by Abu Dawood and others that the Companions, after opening al-Mada'en, ate from the cheese of the Zoroastrians. It is made by the enzymes extracted from their animals which are not permissible for us, even if they slaughtered them.

2-      Many of the ingredients that are controversial get transformed and the transformation changes their ruling according to the majority.

3-      Najasah (impurity) of the "dead" and non-halal animals usually pertains to the animate body parts that have tissue life, not the parts that have vegetable-like life such as the hair, teeth, bones, and fluids aside from the known excrements.

4-      Najsaat (impurities) are of varying grades, with najasah by proximity being a weaker one. Many times the najasah of enzymes is because they have been touching the dead tissues of the dead animal.

5-      Trivial amounts are usually exempt in Sharia, and that may apply to the emulsifiers and enzymes which are used in very small amounts to accelerate certain chemical pathways.

May Allah purify your heart and stomach, and the rest of your organs from all evil and every spiritual or physical filth.

And Allah knows best.