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:
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
"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
