What is the ruling regarding consuming E175?
The question, as received
What is the ruling regarding E175?
The answer
Consuming E175 is discouraged, and one should refrain from doing so.
Fiqh basis
E175 is a food additive that refers to gold, used primarily as a colouring agent to give food a luxurious, metallic appearance. It is often found in high-end confectionery, decorative cakes, and certain pastries, where it adds a visually striking, gold sheen. E175 is regulated and considered safe for consumption in small quantities by European food safety standards. However, its use is largely decorative and confined to luxury food items, given the expense and rarity of gold.
The source of E175 is pure gold, a naturally occurring precious metal. Gold is mined from the earth and refined through various processes to ensure it is of food-grade quality. Once refined, the gold is typically beaten into extremely thin sheets, known as gold leaf, which can then be applied to food products. This edible gold is chemically inert, meaning it passes through the digestive system without being absorbed or causing harm.
The fundamental principle in Sharīʿah is that everything is permissible to eat unless explicitly prohibited. Imam Ibn ʿĀbidīn (d.1252 AH) explained after quoting many other Fuqahā’ that this is the view held by the majority of the Fuqahā’in the Hanafī Madhhab.i Based on this principle, consuming E174 (silver) would generally be considered permissible. However, Allah has created gold and silver to serve as Thaman (currency), and using them for other purposes is seen as inappropriate.
Imam al-Zaylaʿī (d.743 AH) quotes Imam al-Atqānī (d.758 AH), who emphasises that gold and silver were created for the specific role of being Thaman.ii Imam al-Sarakhsī (d.483 AH) also mentioned that gold and silver have been created as currency.iii Therefore, it is advisable to avoid consuming E175, given it’s intended purpose.
And Allah knows best.
Maulana Inaamul Hasan Chothia
Reviewed and approved by Mufti Faraz Adam
References
i. مَطْلَبٌ الْمُخْتَارُ أَنَّ الْأَصْلَ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ الْإِبَاحَةُ
أَقُولُ: وَصَرَّحَ فِي التَّحْرِيرِ بِأَنَّ الْمُخْتَارَ أَنَّ الْأَصْلَ الْإِبَاحَةُ عِنْدَ الْجُمْهُورِ مِنْ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ وَالشَّافِعِيَّةِ اهـ وَتَبِعَهُ تِلْمِيذُهُ الْعَلَّامَةُ قَاسِمٌ، وَجَرَى عَلَيْهِ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ مِنْ فَصْلِ الْحِدَادِ، وَفِي الْخَانِيَّةِ مِنْ أَوَائِلِ الْحَظْرِ وَالْإِبَاحَةِ. وَقَالَ فِي شَرْحِ التَّحْرِيرِ: وَهُوَ قَوْلُ مُعْتَزِلَةِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَكَثِيرٍ مِنْ الشَّافِعِيَّةِ وَأَكْثَرِ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ لَا سِيَّمَا الْعِرَاقِيِّينَ. قَالُوا: وَإِلَيْهِ أَشَارَ مُحَمَّدٌ فِيمَنْ هَدَّدَ بِالْقَتْلِ عَلَى أَكْلِ الْمَيْتَةِ أَوْ شُرْبِ الْخَمْرِ فَلَمْ يَفْعَلْ حَتَّى قُتِلَ بِقَوْلِهِ: خِفْت أَنْ يَكُونَ آثِمًا؛ لِأَنَّ أَكْلَ الْمَيْتَةِ وَشُرْبَ الْخَمْرِ لَمْ يُحَرَّمَا إلَّا بِالنَّهْيِ عَنْهُمَا، فَجَعَلَ الْإِبَاحَةَ أَصْلًا وَالْحُرْمَةَ بِعَارِضِ النَّهْيِ. اهـ.
وَنُقِلَ أَيْضًا أَنَّهُ قَوْلُ أَكْثَرِ أَصْحَابِنَا وَأَصْحَابِ الشَّافِعِيِّ لِلشَّيْخِ أَكْمَلِ الدِّينِ فِي شَرْحِ أُصُولِ الْبَزْدَوِيِّ، وَبِهِ عُلِمَ أَنَّ قَوْلَ الشَّارِحِ فِي بَابِ اسْتِيلَاءِ الْكُفَّارِ أَنَّ الْإِبَاحَةَ رَأْيُ الْمُعْتَزِلَةِ فِيهِ نَظَرٌ، فَتَدَبَّرْ (قَوْلُهُ: فَالتَّعْرِيفُ بِنَاءً عَلَيْهِ) أَيْ عَلَى أَنَّ الْأَصْلَ الْإِبَاحَةُ.
أَقُولُ: هَذَا الْجَوَابُ نَافِعٌ فِيمَا سَكَتَ عَنْهُ الشَّارِعُ، وَبَقِيَ عَلَى الْإِبَاحَةِ الْأَصْلِيَّةِ، أَمَّا مَا نَصَّ عَلَى إبَاحَتِهِ أَوْ فِعْلِهِ فَلَا يَنْفَعُ، وَقَدْ نَصَّ فِي التَّحْرِيرِ عَلَى أَنَّ الْمُبَاحَ يُطْلَقُ عَلَى مُتَعَلِّقِ الْإِبَاحَةِ الْأَصْلِيَّةِ كَمَا يُطْلَقُ عَلَى مُتَعَلِّقِ الْإِبَاحَةِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ.
فَالْأَحْسَنُ فِي الْجَوَابِ أَنْ يُقَالَ: الْمُرَادُ بِقَوْلِهِ فِي التَّعْرِيفِ مَا ثَبَتَ ثُبُوتُ طَلَبِهِ لَا ثُبُوتُ شَرْعِيَّتِهِ، وَالْمُبَاحُ غَيْرُ مَطْلُوبِ الْفِعْلِ، وَأَنَّمَا هُوَ مُخَيَّرٌ فِيهِ. (حاشية ابن عابدين)
iiلِأَنَّ خِلْقَةَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ لِلثَّمَنِيَّةِ (تبيين الحقائق)
iiiفَأَمَّا الذَّهَبُ وَالْفِضَّةُ ثَمَنٌ بِأَصْلِ الْخِلْقَةِ (المبسوط للسرخسي)
Based on the Hanafi school and on the question as it was asked. Another mufti may reach a different conclusion. Read the disclaimer.