What is the ruling regarding E174?
The answer
Consuming E174 is discouraged, and one should refrain from doing so.
Fiqh basis
E174 is a food additive used primarily as a colouring agent in the food industry, specifically known as silver. It is classified as a metallic food colour and is used to add a decorative metallic sheen to confectionery, cakes, and some pastries. This additive is commonly used for aesthetic purposes, enhancing the visual appeal of products, and is considered safe for consumption in small quantities according to European food safety regulations. However, like other metallic additives, its usage is limited to specific products and is closely monitored for safety.
The source of E174 is silver, a naturally occurring metal that is purified for use in the food industry. Once extracted, the silver undergoes a series of purification processes to ensure it is safe for human consumption.
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 E174, 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.