pork gelatine and halal...

[shahrazad]

I've just been told that Muslims are not supposed to eat any products containing pork or beef gelatine.
I didn't even know that my dessert contained this. but come to think of it, don't all sweets contain some sort of gelatine? even some sweet drinks...
does this mean all my efforts to stop eating pork and to eat halal meat have gone to waste, since I just ate a chocolate mousse? +o(

also, I'm going home for a few days during ramadan. I won't fast during those days because it counts as travel... and I haven't told my family yet that I'm a Muslim. my mum always makes an effort to cook my favourite meals when I'm home, and most of them contain meat. she normally doesn't buy halal.
I don't feel ready to tell my family about my conversion, especially as my pregnant sister will be there and the attention will be on her and her unborn baby. I also don't think I'm in a position to start telling my mum where to shop for meat, and I can't refuse her cooking, as both options would be very offensive (food is v. important to her). a friend advised me to tell my family that I've become a vegetarian, but I'm a bad liar and would feel guilty about it. I'm determined not to eat pork or to drink, but the halal meat thing is a bit of a dilemma... maybe I should just eat what I'm given this time round and Allah would forgive me because it's for the sake of respecting my mother? any other ideas would be appreciated...

 

[S1aveofA11ah]

I've just been told that Muslims are not supposed to eat any products containing pork or beef gelatine.
I didn't even know that my dessert contained this. but come to think of it, don't all sweets contain some sort of gelatine? even some sweet drinks...
does this mean all my efforts to stop eating pork and to eat halal meat have gone to waste, since I just ate a chocolate mousse? +o(

also, I'm going home for a few days during ramadan. I won't fast during those days because it counts as travel... and I haven't told my family yet that I'm a Muslim. my mum always makes an effort to cook my favourite meals when I'm home, and most of them contain meat. she normally doesn't buy halal.
I don't feel ready to tell my family about my conversion, especially as my pregnant sister will be there and the attention will be on her and her unborn baby. I also don't think I'm in a position to start telling my mum where to shop for meat, and I can't refuse her cooking, as both options would be very offensive (food is v. important to her). a friend advised me to tell my family that I've become a vegetarian, but I'm a bad liar and would feel guilty about it. I'm determined not to eat pork or to drink, but the halal meat thing is a bit of a dilemma... maybe I should just eat what I'm given this time round and Allah would forgive me because it's for the sake of respecting my mother? any other ideas would be appreciated...

Asalaamualaikum,

The thing about gelatine has different views. Read this very carefully, ask Allah, and decide for yourself:

http://calltoislam.com/pdf/Is Gelatine Halaal.pdf

Islam is not all black and white. Sometimes there are complex scenarios and one fatwa does not fit all. I would just advise you that there is a principal in Islam that basically states "where there is a NEED one can break the general rule/s". I'm not making any fatwas for you just stating a principal.

For example - I know I use this often! - the person who's plane crashes in a remote jungle. He survives the crash but is out of food and the search parties are taking days on end to locate him.

Only pigs are nearby which he can shoot for food until rescue comes. Now pork goes from haram (not allowed) to halal in the sense that if he starves to death (by abstaining from pork) then that is suicide which is not allowed in Islam.

As for your predicament then I advise you to first and foremost to sincerely ASK Allah with du'a (supplication). Ask for a way out from your difficulties. As Muslims we do things purely as the worship of Allah. If you are hemmed in and see that to do something like eating haram stuff is effectively a 'lesser of two evils' (like the plane crash example) and you genuinely believe so then remember that Allah is the oft-forgiving. He can forgive ALL your sins so don't overburdon yourself but strive to purify yourself in stages.

People come to Islam from, for example, Atheism and the switch-over from say 40 years of denying God to suddenly believing in him is not always smooth as 'old habits die hard'. It takes time and effort which is what Allah rewards you for. But if you are sincere to Allah, stick at it, believe Islam is the true and best religion then I can assure you that life just becomes more and more meaningful, blessed and peaceful the longer you sincerely remain upon Islam.

Here is a suggestion - just an idea - sorry if it is a dull one. Why don't you become a vege for a short while?. That way you cut-out the meat issues. You don't have to lie - just say somethings like you have heard that too much meat in one's diet causes health problems and you want to try a meat-free like for a while. Islam does not say you can't be a vege as a dietry preference - some people just don't like meats - you just can't make it a rule for all from Islam as Islam allows meat consumption.

I pray for your success (ameen) and always remember as a new Muslim to put the kalimah first and foremost in your life and strive to understand what it means with its conditions. At the same time fend off and be aware of the nullifiers of Islam - what could be worse than thinking you are a Muslim when you are doing things which destroy your Islam like Shirk, Kufr, Joking about parts of Islam e.g. making jokes about the Prophet (peace be upon him) or the Qur'an, or Magic etc. Look into the nullifiers to protect yourself.

Also don't get sucked into blindly following personalities (apart from the Prophet, peace be upon him) - both alive or dead - and become a sect or cult etc.

Finally welcome to the religion of Peace!.

 

[Makky]

I've just been told that Muslims are not supposed to eat any products containing pork or beef gelatine.
...

Assalam Alaykum sister

what is wrong with beef?!

or you mean that its not slaughtered islamicaly?


hmm. i was thinking about the vegetarian thing.. but I'm glad that you are a bad liar..you don't need to lie insha Allah but you can just equivocate/prevaricate (which is correct!!??)

But let me ask you something ... will they notice that you has converted when they see you in hijab?!

 

[shahrazad]

wa alaykum assalam and thanks for the advice brothers.

I read the article and feel much better now about eating that chocolate mousse!! I agree that because it's gone through a chemical change, gelatine is not really pork/beef anymore. I especially like the example about a non-Muslim becoming Muslim- he should be judged according to what he is today, not what he was

oh yes I meant non-halal beef gelatine... I never saw any food product label saying "halal beef gelatine" but I'm sure it does exist...

I'll think about becoming a vegetarian for a bit, but I would still feel like I'm kind of lying to my family, and they will start prodding me for reasons and I'm afraid of getting flustered, blurting out the truth and causing a bit of a drama- that's how bad a liar I am. I would rather break the news slowly, and since mums (at least mine) know everything anyway, I think she already knows on some level after seeing me refuse alcohol last time I went home. she said (as a joke), 'what is the philosophy behind not drinking wine? have you become a Muslim?' it wasn't official yet then, but I felt like she'd read my mind and I didn't know what to say...
I dress modestly but generally did even before I reverted. I don't wear a headscarf, though I might decide to later on if I feel like it's for the right reasons... but yes that would definitely be a give-away