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Fatwa CenterEating in Fast Food Restaurants in US
Question
There were a couple of times I ate something and after a couple of bites, I remembered to check for gelatin and there was a couple of times I found that there was gelatin in it. I said -alstagfurallah-, and I was wondering if I had to do anything else as a -kaffarah- or anything like that. Is it ok to eat from fast food restaurants in the U.S? Mostly, I would eat fish, but sometimes I feel like eating a cheeseburger, so is it ok?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine etc. are made forbidden as Allah Says in the Quran (what means): {Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, 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 Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 5:3]
In another Surah (Chapter) regarding this, Allah Says (what means): {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 Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.”} [Quran 6:145]
In that manner, Allah forbade impure and harmful objects and made lawful every pure and useful object, as He mentioned this while reminding His favor on His Slaves by sending the Prophet Muhammad .
Allah Says (what means): {Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them.} [Quran 7:157] Thereupon, you should recognize the ingredients of anything you want to use. Whatever contains any forbidden ingredients from the mentioned items, you should avoid it. And whatever does not contain that, then it is lawful and you may use it. If you had already used any forbidden thing, you should ask forgiveness from Allah. You are not supposed to pay any expiation except making repentance and asking pardon of Allah.
Allah knows best.
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