Do u do Vegemite?

[Khan]

I have always believed Vegemite was halal. Period.

The intention is not to start the rumour mill but just to get some clarification/thoughts from the forum.

Reading a recent article on Epicure, which describes the process of making this stuff as witnessed by the reporter Richard Cornish. Certain aspects of the preparation including the origin of the ingredients makes me squeamish though..

I have highlighted certain areas which makes me rethink on Vegemite and the rest of the article can be accessed through the link attached.

...........the popular conception that Vegemite is made from "beer sludge", they shrug their shoulders. We are soon down at the receiving tanks into which tanker trucks pump their loads of spent yeast, collected from the nations' breweries. All the action takes place within the stainless steel pipes and vats. The first stage filters off any remaining malt and hops and removes residual alcohol.............................

Our host takes a sample of the liquid. Like Augustus Gloop from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory I can't help but taste this proto-spread. Compared with the finished product it is bitter, yeasty and aromatic with the flavours of the hops and barley still upfront; it's a long way from being Vegemite.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...e#contentSwap2

[convertgirl]

i will NEVER give up vegemite

[aussiemu]

Vegemite is listed as halal in the Halal Food Guide so I'm guessing they checked?

[UmmRashid]

i know this is a side topic, but i'm also wondering about how healthy it is. Ignoring the fact that its full of salt, i always thought that vegemite was one of the more healthy spreads (as compared to nutella etc). But recently i've been reading that yeast extract is basically MSG in disguise, but i'm not sure about this. I certainly dont want to be giving my kids msg like that.

[Al Mawtu Qareeb]

but but but ... vegemite puts a rose in every cheek.

[Ibn Yusuf]

Bismillah walhamdulillah wassalaatu wassalaam ‘alaa RasoolAllah

Assalaamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuh

We know that all intoxicants are prohibited as the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "Every intoxicating substance is unlawful." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]

However, we also need to realise that according to Islamic Law, a substance is classified as an intoxicant if the substance itself (as a whole) has the ability to intoxicate when consumed.

In light of the above, to clarify whether or not Vegemite is an intoxicant (which would make it unlawful) we would need to clarify whether Vegemite, if consumed in any quantity has the ability to intoxicate.

We would not clarify whether or not Vegemite is an intoxicant based on the fact that it may or may not have a percentage of alcohol in it. Rather we would clarify whether or not Vegemite is an intoxicant based on the properties of Vegemite itself.

With that said, let’s look at Vegemite in detail.

It seems quite clear that consuming Vegemite according to normal consumption levels (i.e. the standard serving sizes or less) is not likely to intoxicate anyone. If it did, it’d clearly be labeled as such by Government Bodies or the like and children/drivers/people operating machinery/etc would not be allowed to consume it.

However, it is also essential that we consider whether high consumption levels of Vegemite would intoxicate, as the Prophet (salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whatever intoxicates in large quantities, then a small quantity of it is forbidden." [Related by al-Tirmidhî, Abû Dawûd, al-Nasâ'î, Ibn Mâjah, al-Dâraqutnî, and Ahmad with an authentic chain of transmission]

In light of the above, let’s ask ourselves the following:

If a person consumes a ridiculously large amount of Vegemite (like a few large bottles), would they get intoxicated?

If the person is intoxicated by this very high level of consumption, then we’d know that Vegemite is an intoxicant and as such unlawful. If the person does not suffer from intoxication from this very high level of consumption, then we’d know that Vegemite is not classified as an intoxicant.

I recommend discussing the ruling on Vegemite itself with a Person of Knowledge (may Allah preserve them) or the organisation(s) who may have already classified Vegemite as halal (refer to Aussiemu's earlier post).

Finally, as a general advice, when dealing with any issue wherein we are unsure of the permissibility/prohibition of something, let's keep in mind that the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

"That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah's sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart." [Related by Bukhari and Muslim]

PS: Insha-Allah the following article, although not specific to Vegemite, may provide further assistance in understanding some of the issues discussed above: http://www.islamtoday.com/showme2.cf...sub_cat_id=561

SubhanAllah walhamdulillah, may Allah grant us that which is best in this life and the next, wassalaatu wassalaam ‘alaa RasoolAllah

Wassalaamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuh