Are Wine Gums Permissible to Eat in Islam?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

Considering their name and ingredients, are wine gums permissible to eat in Islam?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

The name “wine gums” does not make the product unlawful. What matters in Islamic law is the essence and content of the item. Since conventional wine gums do not contain wine or alcohol, they are not impermissible solely based on the name. However, they often contain gelatin, and their permissibility depends on their source. It is permissible if derived from halal-slaughtered animals; if from pigs or non-halal sources, scholars differ in opinion.

Please consult this related Shafi‘i answer concerning Gelatine.

Please consult this related Hanafi answer concerning Gelatine.

Sacred law considers the reality of things, not their labels or superficial titles. A food product’s permissibility depends on its actual ingredients and effects, not on suggestive names.

Wine gums are a type of sweet that traditionally contains no alcohol whatsoever. The name, though unfortunate, is a historical marketing choice and has no serious legal bearing in Sacred Law. Therefore, the name “wine gums” alone does not render the sweet impermissible.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“O people! Allah is Pure and, therefore, accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers as He has commanded His Messengers by saying: ‘O Messengers! Eat of the good things, and do good deeds.’ [Quran, 23:51] And He said: ‘O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you…’” [Quran, 2:172]

Then, the Prophet mentioned a man who traveled far, becoming disheveled and dusty, and he raised his hands to the sky, saying,

“O Lord! O Lord!” Yet his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished by the unlawful, so how can he be answered? [Muslim]

From the above, we understand the importance of the substance and purity of what we consume.

However, many types of wine gums contain gelatin, and this is the crux of the legal concern. Gelatin can come from various sources:

• Halal-slaughtered animals: Permissible.
• Non-halal or porcine (pig) sources: Scholars differ;
  • Some scholars argue that the transformation (istihala) of gelatin from impure to pure form renders it lawful.
  • Others maintain that if the source is impure (e.g., pork), the product remains impermissible, and the transformation of the essence is insufficient to change the ruling on unlawful Gelatin.

Some scholars argue that the transformation (istihala) of gelatin from impure to pure form renders it lawful.

Others maintain that if the source is impure (e.g., pork), the product remains impermissible, and the transformation of the essence is insufficient to change the ruling on unlawful Gelatin.

In light of this, one should:

• Check the ingredients.
• Investigate the source of gelatin.
• Opt for products that use fish or halal-certified gelatin if available.
• Exercising precaution (wara’) is spiritually preferable when in doubt and alternatives exist.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.