What Is the Ruling on Cheese Made With Animal-Derived Enzymes, and What Is the Evidence?

Question: In western countries almost any products that contain cheese contain "enzymes," sometimes these may be obtained from animals such as cows, sheep etc. other times from pork. Could you please tell us what is the ruling on consuming them? And what opinions did the prophet, tha sahaba or any of the Ulema hold regarding this? جزاك الله خيرا

Summary:

The basic principle regarding cheese and all other foods is that they are halal and permissible. Nothing is deemed haram merely because of doubt or the possibility concerning the source of the enzymes used in its production. Therefore, if the product simply states "Enzymes" and it is not known that they are derived from pigs, it is not obligatory to investigate or ask about their source, and it is permissible to consume the product. As for enzymes or rennet derived from cows, sheep, and similar animals that are permissible to eat, the stronger view is that cheese made using them is permissible, even if it is not known whether the animal was slaughtered according to the Shariah. This was the view of Abu Hanifah, one narration from Imam Ahmad, and the view preferred by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. He cited as evidence the fact that the Companions ate the cheese of the Magians. In Majmu al-Fatawa (21/102-103): As for when it is known with certainty that the substance used is derived from pigs, the basic ruling is that it is prohibited, because Allah explicitly prohibited pigs and described them as impure. The issue of pigs should not simply be treated in the same manner as the issue of rennet taken from the carcass of an animal that is otherwise permissible to eat.

Answer:

First: The Basic Principle Regarding Food Is Permissibility

From the Qur'an:

[Al-Baqarah: 29]
"It is He who created for you all that is on the earth."
And He said regarding the food of the People of the Book:
[Al-Maidah: 5]
"The food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you."
Therefore, the basic principle regarding foods is permissibility, and they are not deemed prohibited unless there is evidence establishing their prohibition.

From the Scholars:

Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin رحمه الله stated this principle in: Fatwa: The Ruling on Using Something Suspected of Containing Pig Derivatives
He said regarding foods: "The basic principle concerning them is permissibility," and cited as evidence the statement of Allah the Exalted: "It is He who created for you all that is on the earth."
Likewise, Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz رحمه الله said in: Fatwa: The Ruling on Drinks, Juices, and Alcohol-Free Beer
"The basic principle regarding cheese is that it is permissible until it is known to be prohibited."
He رحمه الله also said:
"The basic principle regarding foods is permissibility until it is known that they are prohibited."
Accordingly, merely because a company writes the word "Enzymes" on a product does not make it haram. Likewise, the mere possibility that the source of the enzyme is animal-derived or derived from pigs is not sufficient to deem the product prohibited.

Second: What Has Been Reported Regarding the Prophet Concerning Cheese

From the Sunnah:

At-Tirmidhi and Ibn MajahIt has been reported from Salman al-Farisi رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ was asked about clarified butter, cheese, and fur, and he said:
"The lawful is what Allah has made lawful in His Book, the unlawful is what Allah has made unlawful in His Book, and what He has remained silent about is among that which He has pardoned."
It is authentically established as a statement of Salman al-Farisi, as Shaykh al-Albani stated, and not as a statement of the Prophet. The meaning is also established in the hadith of Abu Thalabah al-Khushani: "Indeed, Allah the Exalted has prescribed obligations, so do not neglect them; He has set limits, so do not transgress them; He has prohibited things, so do not violate them; and He has remained silent about things, out of mercy for you and not out of forgetfulness, so do not inquire about them." Al-Nawawi graded it hasan, and al-Albani and Shuayb al-Arnaut also graded it hasan due to its supporting narrations.

Third: What Has Been Reported From the Companions Regarding the Cheese of Non-Muslims This is among the strongest evidences concerning this issue.

From the Salaf:

It is established from Umar ibn al-Khattab, from Mughirah, from Abu Wail and Ibrahim, ـرضي الله عنهـم who said:
"When the Muslims arrived, they obtained some of the food of the Magians, including their cheese and bread, so they ate it and did not ask about it. The cheese was described to Umar, and he said: 'Mention the name of Allah over it and eat it.'"
Its narrators are trustworthy narrators of the two Sahih collections, except that Mughirah, who is Ibn Miqsam al-Dabbi, was a mudallis, and he narrated it with ananah from Abu Wail and Ibrahim. See: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (10/241) and al-Thiqat by Ibn Hibban (7/464). It appears that his ananah may be accepted here, as Mughirah's narrations by ananah from Abu Wail and Ibrahim are included in the two Sahih collections in marfu narrations, while the matter is undoubtedly less stringent regarding this mawquf narration. The report was narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah, and its chain of narration is authentic up to Umar. It has also been reported that when the Muslims entered the lands of the Magians, they ate their cheese and did not burden themselves with asking about the source of every type of rennet. This is significant because the slaughtered animals of the Magians were not lawful for Muslims to consume, yet the Companions still ate their cheese.

Fourth: Enzymes Derived From Cows, Sheep, and Similar Animals The enzyme used in cheese production may be what is known as rennet, and other enzymes may also be used in the coagulation process. If the source of the enzyme is plant-based or microbial, there is no issue concerning its permissibility. Likewise, if it is derived from an animal that is permissible to eat and which was slaughtered according to a valid method of slaughter, there is no issue. However, if it is taken from a cow, sheep, or similar animal but the animal was not slaughtered according to the Shariah, then this falls under the issue of rennet taken from a carcass, concerning which the scholars differed.

From the Scholars:

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله preferred the view that such rennet is pure and that cheese produced using it is permissible. He said:
"The more apparent view is that their cheese is halal and that the rennet and milk of a carcass are pure."
He then cited the actions of the Companions as evidence, stating that when they conquered the lands of Iraq, they ate the cheese of the Magians, and this was something apparent and widespread among them. Majmu al-Fatawa (21/102-103). This is the position of Abu Hanifah, one narration from Imam Ahmad, and the view preferred by Ibn Taymiyyah.

Fifth: The Fatwa of the Permanent Committee Regarding the Cheese of Non-Muslims This text is very closely related to the question asked.

From the Scholars:

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta was asked about cheeses containing rennet taken from cows or calves that had not been slaughtered according to the Shariah. It replied:
"There is no harm in you eating these cheeses, and you are not required to ask about their rennet, because Muslims have continued to eat the cheeses of the non-Muslims since the time of the Companions, and they did not ask about the type of rennet."
Among the members of the Committee were Shaykh Ibn Baz, Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan, Shaykh Abd al-Aziz Al al-Shaykh, Shaykh Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan, and Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd. The fatwa was cited from Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah (22/263-264). This indicates that a Muslim is not required to contact every company and ask about the source of the ingredient listed as "Enzymes" merely because of the possibility that its source may be impermissible.

Sixth: What if the Enzymes Are Derived From Pigs? This situation should be distinguished from the previous one.

From the Qur'an:

[Al-Anam: 145]
"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 poured forth, or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure.'"
[Al-Maidah: 3]
"Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, and the flesh of swine."

The pig itself is prohibited. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that because Ibn Taymiyyah permitted rennet taken from a carcass, every enzyme derived from pigs must also be halal. These are two separate issues. Accordingly, if it is established that the enzyme itself is derived from pigs and it remains in its original nature within the product, then the basic ruling is that it must be avoided. However, if the word "Enzymes" is mentioned generally and its source is unknown, we do not rule that it is derived from pigs merely on the basis of doubt, because the basic principle is permissibility.

From the Scholars:

This is consistent with what Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله stated in: The Ruling on Drinks, Juices, and Alcohol-Free Beer
When it was rumored that some cheeses contained something derived from pigs, he stated that the basic principle regarding cheese is permissibility until it is known to be prohibited. He did not consider mere rumors and possibilities sufficient grounds for prohibition.

Conclusion: The ruling regarding products labelled "Enzymes" can be summarized in three situations: 1. The source of the enzyme is unknown: The product is halal according to the basic principle, and it is not obligatory to investigate or ask merely because of a possibility. 2. It is established that the enzyme comes from a cow, sheep, or another animal that is permissible to eat: The stronger view is that cheese made using it is permissible, even if it is not known whether the animal was slaughtered according to the Shariah. This was the view of Abu Hanifah, one narration from Ahmad, and the view preferred by Ibn Taymiyyah. It is also supported by the practice of the Companions in eating the cheese of the Magians. 3. It is established that the enzyme is derived from pigs: The basic ruling is that it is prohibited, and a product in which this substance remains in its original nature must be avoided, because Allah the Exalted prohibited pigs and described them as impure. Therefore, a Muslim living in Western countries should not deem every product labelled "Enzymes" to be haram, nor should he burden himself with investigating the source of every enzyme. Rather, the basic principle is permissibility until the presence of something prohibited is established. This is in accordance with the fatwa of the Permanent Committee and the statements of Shaykh Ibn Baz and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin. Fatwa no. (39408) and no. (115306).

And Allah knows best.

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What Is the Ruling on Cheese Made With Animal-Derived Enzymes, and What Is the Evidence?

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From the Qur'an:

From the Scholars:

From the Sunnah:

From the Salaf:

From the Scholars:

From the Scholars:

From the Qur'an:

From the Scholars:

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