Question Summary:
E-120 ingredient in the products

Question Detail:

Assalayam ualeikum my dear respected brothers. My name is Diyas I am from Kazakhstan. Here in my country we have an organization that certifies products as halal which is affiliated with JAKIM Halal Malaisia, e.i JAKIM gave rights to certify products to the man here in Kazakhstan based on JAKIM’s halal standards. I know the owner of the organization personally, he seems to be good muslim. Allah knows best. But recently I discovered that his company certifies many products such as sausages and yuogurts that contain haram stuff namely “e-120” which is internationally classified as haram because it’s made of insects called cochineal. So my question is should I expose the man of his deceiving actions to other muslims and tell them that they should not eat this products (think about the scale of deception, how many Muslims of Kazakhstan he deceives, we believed that products are halal when in fact they are haram) and second should I inform JAKIM that this man certifies haram products so that they withdraw his rights to certify? Would it be sinful for me to do so? Or what should I do?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Beloved Brother,

We commend you on your sensitivity of consuming Halaal food and abstaining from the ingredient containing E120. This stems from your consciousness of Imaan.

Muslims must be particular in consuming Halaal and abstain from Haraam. Matters related to Halaal and Haraam are very sensitive in Shariah. A single Haraam morsel could cause devastating effects to ones Imaan and spiritual health. Every Muslim must be cautious of that which he consumes.

We advise you to contact Jakim and enquire from them regarding their stance on the ingredient E120.

Jakim has also recognised foreign Halaal Certification Bodies. You may also contact Association Halal Industry of Kazakhstan (AHIK) and enquire from them.

Tel : +87172574732

Fax : +87172518423

Email: sarsenbaev_m@mail.ru / ahik2010@mail.ru

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad I.V Patel

Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.