Magnesium Stearate and Stearic Acid from Animal Sources

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Magnesium stearate and stearic acid are often created with substances from animal sources such as non-zabiha beef fat.

According to most Ulama, if these ingredients do originate from (non-zabiha) beef fat, then they would be haram.

SANHA

  www.sanha.co.za/a/index.php?option=com_content&task=v...

AskImam (Mufti Ebrahim Desai)

  www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/18042

Muslim Consumer Group - (Barelwi Muftis)

  www.muslimconsumergroup.com/search_results.html

However, according to Halal Food Guide UK (Mufti Abdullah Patel), it would be halal to consume because the beef fat no longer exists in the ingredient.

  www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?4705-ANSWERED-Is-...

  www.muftisays.com/qa/question/1928/polyvinyl-alchol-and-m...

Are there other Ulama as well as professionals/scientists who agree with the opinion of the Halal Food Guide UK in that these ingredients are completley permissible even if from animal sources?

In this link, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani says it is permissible to use, nothing said about consumption.

seekershub.org/ans-blog/2014/12/08/is-it-permissible-to-u...

In UK in many of the supplements and vitamins either don't use it or their magnesium stearate  comes from Palm Oil, example is NOW which is one of the leading companies.

In my humble opinion the issue is posting corss-country Fatwaas as it is dangerous. How and magnesium stearate is sourced in:

1. America
2. Canada
3. UK
4. India
5. Pakistan

would be very different and I wish that Ulama should refer people to their local authorities.

• Having a Fatwa is one thing
• Applying that Fatwa to circumstances of another country is another matter

Baji,

Whether he is Barelwee or Bollywood the site and their research has little to do with Pakistan!

Even if a product which is on their site is available in Pakistan it still doesn't mean much because it could be manufactured in a different country.

Syed Rasheed Ahmed Saheb said as much on SF. It has little to do with this issue at hand but I pointed it out so people know the Ulama behind MCG are Hanafis as well.

Why would the making of this ingredient differ so much from one coutnry to another?

And why does it affect who's giving the fatwa? Are the Muftis giving fatwa after analyzing a few specific products or giving fatwa based on a principle that can be applied everywhere?

The questions (for me) are, does beef fat substance really go through such a change when used in making stearic acid that it is completely and fully transformed into something else? If so, is the ingredient containing this transformed substance halal to consume?

Also, do Ulama from other madhahib employ this principle?

The ingredient Magnesium Stearate can come from animal sources or plant sources therefore there is no blanket Fatwa on the matter; at all.

What should happen in all matters pertaining to Halal/Haram (in my humble view) is that local Ulama should be consulted who investigate the matter (based on local manufacturing practises) ; for example:

1. It appears that in UK Magnesium Stearate is either avoided or sourced from Plant sources; although animal sources do exist
2. In another country it may be the opposite

Shaykh (Mufti) Abdullah Patel (HA) is a British Mufti with over 15+ years of experience with British industry so his Fatwa (for example) cannot be applied to South Africa or America or Pakistan (for example)

for example :P 

guns are halal though. but you should check if the bullets are coated in pork or beef fat.

wrt asking local ulama, that's ideal but not always practical. very few are competent in these matters, how do I know Mufti Saheb isn't doing the same thing I am....googling and emailing?

it's true what you say about things being done differently in different countries, but I still don't understand how that is relevant to my question.

In the two links I provided, the Halal Food Guide UK rep, Mufti Abdullah Patel Saheb, has openly stated on universal platforms (online forums) that these ingredients are permissible to consume. No disclaimers, notes, explanations. Are you saying his fatawa are only relevant to the UK?

Does this Hazrat (Mufti) Saheb (HA) eat Tandoori Roti or considers them Haram?

Or Sheermal?

Double Roti?

A Mufti by definition works within the confines of his cicumstances and that should be understood. Its laymen who elevate their Hazrats to divinity who are able to SEE ALL, and RULE ALL.

The Khula, Talaq, Meh'r discussions confronting a Mufti in Peshawar are entirely different to the one confronting a Mufti in Chennai, don't you think?

McDonlads in Mumbai sources materials different to McDonalds in London and hence there are differences.