When I Buy Food, Am I Obliged to Check the Ingredients?

Answered by Ustadh Farid Dingle

Question

When I buy food, am I obliged to check the ingredients to make sure everything is halal?

Answer

Thank you for your important question.

All food and objects are assumed to be pure until proven otherwise, and there is no obligation to check unless it is meat. (Fath al Muin, Millibari)

The Prophet said, ‘Leave that about which are in doubt for that about which you are not in doubt.’ (Tirmidhi)

This hadith tells us that we should assume that all food and objects are pure because that it default about which we are certain.

So too, it tells us that we should not eat any meat until we are confident that it is halal because the default about which we are certain is that it is a dead animal, and dead animals are filthy.

As long as one does not go to extremes, it still might be good to double check ingredients.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years, he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language.