Gelatin extracted from pork

12-12-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is pig derived gelatin Haraam? In Europe we have food products that contain gelatin and I do not know whether I am allowed to consume them, especially that we can live without some of these products such as confectionery products.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

There is no doubt that gelatine extracted from pork is forbidden because Allaah forbade us from eating pork and considered it as an impurity. Allaah Says (which 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 Allaah.}[Quran 6:145]. Therefore, it is not permissible to eat food which contains pork ingredients except in case of a necessity whereby if one does not eat it he will die, and we do not think that this is the case in your country.

Allaah Knows best.