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I AM A CONSUMER


Responsibility Of Muslims:

Our main goal is to please ALLAH (SWT) alone by obeying HIS commands on all matters including issues of halal and haram, as well as following the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Several verses of the Noble Quran have been revealed regarding food. A quick look at a few verses allows us to see the importance HE has put on the consumption of food:


"O you who believe! Eat of the good things from what WE have provided you, and render thanks to ALLAH if it is HE whom you worship." (2:172)

"O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and wholesome in the Earth, and follow not the foot-steps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you." (2:168)

"O you who believe! Forbid not the good things which ALLAH has made 'lawful' for you and transgress not. Lo! ALLAH loves not transgressors. Eat of that which ALLAH has bestowed on you as food 'lawful' and good, and keep your duty to ALLAH in whom you are believers." (5:87-88)


There are many more verses in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) that speak about other aspects of halal and haram. We should look into such commandments and understand them for our own betterment.

1.    Ingredients:

There are various kinds of ingredients found on the labels of products we buy. Some of them are simple or single components, like salt, sugar and water. Others are complex or compound, such as colouring’s, cheese powder, flavouring’s, seasonings, shortening, spices etc. On some labels we see the ingredients are listed by their functions, such as antioxidants; emulsifiers; preservatives; supplements and thickeners to name a few. Sometimes the questionable ingredients such as alcohol; enzymes; fats and gelatine are not clearly listed but are hidden in flavouring’s; cheese, gums and ice cream. As Muslims we should know if the ingredients we see on the label are halal, since they could be obtained from animal, plant, microbial, or synthetic sources. A list of such items is given below for a quick reference and can be copied and carried along for shopping convenience.

2.    Classification Of Foods:

Halal - We all know very well the terms halal and haram and have a clear idea about the food items we consume. For Muslims the Halal or permissible items are:

·         All vegetable materials except intoxicating ones

·         The meat from humanely-handled halal animals and birds slaughtered by a sane Muslim after pronouncing Bismillah and ALLAH O Akbar, followed by blood draining

·         Fish and most seafood

·         Milk and eggs from halal animals

Haram - Alhamdulillah, we have a very clear understanding of the haram foods, and we all refrain from consuming items such as:

·         Alcoholic drinks and intoxicating drugs
·         Pork and its by-products
·         Meat of dead animal
·         Blood
·         Meat of animals not slaughtered according to Islamic requirements
·         Products that contain any of the above items

Mashbooh - For all Muslims, this group of consumables consists of ingredients that are doubtful or questionable and it causes us to stop and ponder whether we can use them or not. SICHMA provides you with the information that will take the "doubt" out of these doubtful items. When a consumer sees an ingredient listed in the tables below titled "Mashbooh (Questionable) Food Items", "Hidden Ingredients", "Ingredients by Functions", and "Halal Shoppers Guide", e.g. Animal fat or proteins; Antioxidants; Dairy products; Emulsifiers; Enzymes; Flavouring’s; Gelatine; Glycerine and Vitamins, he or she should immediately think of its probable source and verifying it by calling the manufacturer. All such items are derived either from animal, plant, and microbial or synthetic sources. If it comes from an animal source, then we need to know if the animal was halal and if so, was it slaughtered properly or not. If yes or if the source is plant or certified-microbial, then Alhamdulillah, we can eat it.

As A Halal Consumer, I Should Learn The Classification Of Foods

Halal

·         All vegetable materials except intoxicating ones
·         Meat from halal animals and birds slaughtered according to Islamic requirements
·         Fish and most seafood
·         Milk and eggs from halal animals

Haram

·         Alcoholic drinks and intoxicating drugs
·         Meat of halal animals/birds not slaughtered properly
·         Meat of dead animals
·         Blood
·         Pork and its by-products

Mashbooh Food Items

·         Animal fat or protein (halal animal, halal slaughtered?)
·         Anti-oxidants (animal or plant source?)
·         Dairy Products (enzymes/cheese/whey?)
·         Emulsifiers (animal or plant source?)
·         Enzymes (animal/microbial/plants?)
·         Flavouring agents (non halal ingredients?)
·         L-Cysteine and other amino acids (source?)
·         Gelatine (animals, halal certified?)
·         Glycerine (animals or plant?)
·         Vitamins (carriers?)

 As A Halal Consumer, I Should Be Familiar With:

Simple or single Ingredients such as;
Salt                              Sugar                           Flour                             Water
Honey                           Vinegar                        Ascorbic Acid                 Aspartame
Benzoate                      Gelatine                        L-Cysteine                     Onion Powder
Phosphate                    Propionic Acid


Complex or Compound ingredients such as;
Batters                          Colouring’s                   Cheese Powder             Enrichment Mix
Shortenings                  Vitamin Mix                   Breading                       Flavouring’s
Enriched Flour               Seasonings                   Spices

As A Halal Consumer, I Should Know Hidden Ingredients In Common Foods

Ingredient:
Liquor                           Gelatine                        Lard                              Pan Grease/Lard
Polysorbates                LPork Lipase                 Stearates

Food:
Chocolate                     Maple Syrup                 Ice Cream                     Pharmaceuticals
Bread/Baked Goods      Dairy Products              Cheese                         Chewing Gum

 
As A Halal Consumer, I Should Be Aware Of Ingredients By Function

Function                      Ingredient
Antioxidants                  BHA, BHT, Ascorbic Acid
Acidulates                     Citric Acid, Carbonic Acid
Colouring’s                   Blue, Red, Yellow 5,6 etc.
Emulsifiers                    Lecithin, Mono Di-Glycerides
Flavouring’s                  Artificial/Natural Flavour’s, Spices
Flavour Enhancers         Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Fortifiers                       Thiamine, Vitamin A & D
Preservatives                Benzoic Acid, Propionic Acid
Stabilizers                     Alginate, Gelatine, Phosphates
Supplements                 Amino Acids, Minerals, Vitamins
Sweeteners                   Aspartame, Saccharin, Sucralose


Halal Shopper's Quick Reference:

Common Foods That May Be A Concern

Products                       Examples of Mashbooh (Doubtful) Ingredients
Bread                           Lecithin, Mono/Diglycerides
Bagels                          Cysteine hydrochloride, Enzymes, Folic acid, Niacin
Candy                           Glycerine, Gelatine, Mono Glycerides, Whey, Natural & Artificial flavors, Stearic acid, Magnesium Stearate
Cereals                         Artificial/Natural flavors, Vitamin A, B2, C, D
Chips                            Cheese
Cookies                        Folic acid, Thiamine
Coffee Creamer             Artificial/Natural flavors, Mono/Diglycerides
Cakes                           Artificial/Natural flavors, Mono/Diglycerides
Donuts/Pastries            Mono/Diglycerides, Flavors, Lard
Ice Cream                     Whey, Artificial flavor, Mono/Diglycerides
Jell-O/Puddings            Gelatine, Artificial/Natural flavors
Cheese                         Enzymes
Shortenings                  Animal fat, Mono/Diglycerides
Peanut Butter                Mono/Diglycerides
Colas                            Natural flavours
Ketchups                      Natural flavours
Yogurts                        Flavors, Gelatin, Whey
Gums                           Glycerin, Stearic acid
Mouth Wash                  Alcohol, Flavors, Glycerin


Nutritional
Supplements                 Gelatin, Magnesium Stearate
Soaps                          Sodium Tallowate, Glycerin
Toothpaste                   Sodium Lauryl Sulfate


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