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I'm not sure if this has been asked before here.

My case is that I was planning to buy a certain supplement product through iHerb.com. The problem is that the product is not certified as Halal or even Kosher, but yet it is labeled as vegetarian. My concern is that I wanted to make sure whether the product contains any ingredients that is derived from pig /swine. I know for certain that I myself don't possess any means to verify that by myself. But I don't see any ingredient in the ingredient list that, to the best of my knowledge (though I must admit I really don't have any expertise in this field), that hints to it being derived from pig /swine.

Now if I were to ask to the manufacturer of this product, then they testify and even insist that this product doesn't have anything that is derived from any animal (since they have labeled it as vegetarian). According to Islamic Rules would I be sinning if I were to eat from that supplement? Even if it does actually contains something derived from pig/swine but without me knowing anything about it. Will I still be considered sinning?

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  • Can you name the product and the specific flavor? maybe someone here can look it up.
    – Ahmed
    Jun 21, 2018 at 16:40
  • Look it up? You mean from where the ingredient were derived? Any suspected ingredient listed could be plant derived or animal derived.. even if it could only be animal derived, only the manufacturer knows from which animal it is actually derived. And the product hasn't been certified as Halal or Kosher by any agency. This I already asked them. So, unless you were to ask the manufacturer directly, where was you thinking that you could look it up?
    – Tomsofty33
    Jun 21, 2018 at 21:54
  • There is no flavouring in this supplement.
    – Tomsofty33
    Jun 21, 2018 at 21:56
  • There are many sites and apps that verify such things on a continual basis. They have representatives in various countries who have legal authority to check such certifications (including Halal & Kosher). But if you want a free service you can try out one of the many mobile apps out there ... for eg: itunes.apple.com/us/app/…
    – Ahmed
    Jun 22, 2018 at 6:19
  • One could go into extremes with his precaution. I wouldn't even expect anything non-halal in a vegetarian product (except Alcohol) unless it is put in a capsule. As the later could be made of gelatine which is usually made of animal bones. But there's a fair chance that a dealer of such products uses capsules made of Agar or Pectin
    – Medi1Saif
    Jun 22, 2018 at 7:17

1 Answer 1

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In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All perfect praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God and that Muhammad  is His slave and Messenger.


Your question: is it halal or haram eating supplements or vitamins?

Answer:

I strongly advice you to leave what makes you doubts in it. Because the Messenger of God (blessings and peace of God be upon him): “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt, for truth leads to reassurance and lies lead to uncertainty.” Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani (may God have mercy on him).

If you see something that makes you doubt about it and start asking yourself, “is it good? Or bad?” then leave it if you can’t find the answer to your question.

If you eat supplements or vitamins without knowing, you’re not blamed for it. It is proven in Saheeh al-Bukhaari from ‘Aa’ishah (may God be pleased with her) that some people came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) and said: ”Some people bring us meat and we do not know whether they mentioned the name of God over it or not.” He said: ”Say the name of God yourselves then eat.” I said: They (the people who brought the meat) were new in Islam and they were not sure whether they said the name of God (when slaughtering the meat) or not. So he said: Say the name of God yourself and eat.

So, it is permissible to take what you want even if you don’t know.

I hope I gave you good answer.

References:

  1. islamqa
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  • “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt, for truth leads to reassurance and lies lead to uncertainty.” Imagine trying to follow this advice while living in a non muslim country. Where would you eat when everything you eat holds some possibility as to whether it is haram or not? surely you won't eat something that says it contains pork, but even if it doesn't say it how do you know there's actually nothing there that contains anything that is derived from pig?
    – Tomsofty33
    Jun 21, 2018 at 22:01

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