Is Gochujang Halal? 

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I wanted to ask if gochujang is halal since it is fermented for one to two years. Please let me know.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Gochujang is generally halal and permissible to consume upon looking at the ingredients. It is a red chili paste, a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. However, if it contains some form of wine alcohol, then it will not be permissible. One can find out by contacting the manufacturer of the product.

Incidental Amount of Alcohol

It would be permitted to consume food, like fermented produce like pickles and drinks that have incidental traces of non-wine alcohol as long as:

It is not being used to intoxicate,
Not being used as intoxicants are used,
Not being used in an amount that intoxicates, and
Not being being used for vain purposes.

This is based on the position of Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah be pleased with him) and has been adopted by leading scholars of our time due to the widespread use of non-wine alcohol in both food items and external products, such as soaps or lotions.

As for wine, namely, alcohol derived from the fermentation of grapes and dates, it is impermissible to consume in any amount as established by clear primary texts.

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.

Check these links
fermentation Archives – SeekersGuidance
Is Gochujang Vegan, Vegetraian & Halal? | Veganoga

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org)?

I pray this helps with your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.