Comments on: Of Mice and Men – The Cheese Factor http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/ Discourses in the Intellectual Traditions, Political Situation, and Social Ethics of Muslim Life Tue, 22 May 2012 19:03:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Safia http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109795 Safia Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:53:00 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109795 Salamu alaikum, thank you so much brother Yasir for the wonderful expose on cheese and cheese making. I was recently in Norway and brought back with me my favorite brown cheese (brunost). This wasn't the first time I ate this cheese but for some reason this time around I tried to check online if the cheese was permissible and to my confusion and worry I found in some writings about the rennet and how it works and about how the cow/goats weren't slaughtered in halal way, etc. etc. Concerned I contacted the manufacturers of the cheese asking about what they put in their cheese. A lady returned to me and said animal rennet was indeed used and that the product was not halal certified. That decided for me and I quickly got rid of several bars of cheese that were lying in my fridge. Thought better safe than sorry. The only problem was that I already gifted a friend of mine with the same cheese earlier and I was worried. Should I tell or not? What if she already ate it? What if she still has some left in the fridge? Especially since I realized there was a divided opinion as to the permissibility of the rennet I thought well let her enjoy it. But I was still concerned thinking that perhaps I was sinning hiding a vital information? And was worried sick the last few days until Allah showed me your article this morning....and now I can relax back and not worry about my friend's cheese consumption. JazaAkallahu khyran! Salamu alaikum, thank you so much brother Yasir for the wonderful expose on cheese and cheese making. I was recently in Norway and brought back with me my favorite
brown cheese (brunost). This wasn’t the first time I ate this cheese but for some reason this time around I tried to check online if the cheese was permissible and to my confusion and worry I found in some writings about the rennet and how it works and about how the cow/goats weren’t slaughtered in halal way, etc. etc.
Concerned I contacted the manufacturers of the cheese asking about what they put in their cheese. A lady returned to me and said animal rennet was indeed used and that the product was not halal certified. That decided for me and I quickly got rid of several bars of cheese that were lying in my fridge. Thought better safe than sorry. The only problem was that I already gifted a friend of mine with the same cheese earlier and I was worried. Should I tell or not? What if she already ate it? What if she still has some left in the fridge? Especially since I realized there was a divided opinion as to the permissibility of the rennet I thought well let her enjoy it. But I was still concerned thinking that perhaps I was sinning hiding a vital information? And was worried sick the last few days until Allah showed me your article this morning….and now I can relax back and not worry about my friend’s cheese consumption.
JazaAkallahu khyran!

]]> By: A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) « Peace For Humanity http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109098 A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) « Peace For Humanity Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:00:15 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109098 [...] beard lengths, or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...] [...] beard lengths, or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...]

]]> By: Osman http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109067 Osman Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:25:00 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109067 This question has been debated by the past 1,400 years of Islamic scholars (who knew way more hadeeth and who understood the deen way more than anyone today) and Alhamdulilah, we don't need modern scholars "reinterpreting" fiqh according to isolated, extreme-minority opinions.  We don't even have all of the ahaadeeth available to us today. (We don't even have 100,000 hadeeth.) It's impossible to say that the rulings by the mujtahid imaams and their students were wrong. There are some rulings in each of the four madhaahib that we do not (with the current availability of hadeeth) have any evidence to; does this mean the rulings are wrong? No, it just means that the evidences once existed but we don't have access to them today. Even the greatest scholars of the Ummah such as Imam Nawawi (RA) followed (did taqleed of) a single maddhab (the Shafi'i maddhab). Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (RA), one of the greatest hadeeth scholars amongst the muta'akhkhireen (later generation) followed the Shafi'i maddhab. Ibn Rajab (RA) followed the Hanbali maddhab. Imam Suyuti (RA) followed the Shafi'i maddhab. Mulli Ali Qari (RA) followed the Hanafi maddhab. In short, the greatest scholars of the past 1,400 years followed a single maddhab. For comprehensive evidence and information about this topic, please refer to a book (available online for free) entitled The Legal Status of Following a Maddhab by Mufti Taqi Uthmaani. JazakAllahu khairan, and may Allah (SWT) guide us all and accept all of our good efforts, ameen. This question has been debated by the past 1,400 years of Islamic scholars (who knew way more hadeeth and who understood the deen way more than anyone today) and Alhamdulilah, we don’t need modern scholars “reinterpreting” fiqh according to isolated, extreme-minority opinions. 
We don’t even have all of the ahaadeeth available to us today. (We don’t even have 100,000 hadeeth.) It’s impossible to say that the rulings by the mujtahid imaams and their students were wrong. There are some rulings in each of the four madhaahib that we do not (with the current availability of hadeeth) have any evidence to; does this mean the rulings are wrong? No, it just means that the evidences once existed but we don’t have access to them today.
Even the greatest scholars of the Ummah such as Imam Nawawi (RA) followed (did taqleed of) a single maddhab (the Shafi’i maddhab). Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (RA), one of the greatest hadeeth scholars amongst the muta’akhkhireen (later generation) followed the Shafi’i maddhab. Ibn Rajab (RA) followed the Hanbali maddhab. Imam Suyuti (RA) followed the Shafi’i maddhab. Mulli Ali Qari (RA) followed the Hanafi maddhab. In short, the greatest scholars of the past 1,400 years followed a single maddhab.
For comprehensive evidence and information about this topic, please refer to a book (available online for free) entitled The Legal Status of Following a Maddhab by Mufti Taqi Uthmaani.
JazakAllahu khairan, and may Allah (SWT) guide us all and accept all of our good efforts, ameen.

]]> By: A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) « All the small things http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109062 A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) « All the small things Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:23:56 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109062 [...] beard lengths, or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...] [...] beard lengths, or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...]

]]> By: A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) | Peachy Parenting http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109055 A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) | Peachy Parenting Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:46:12 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109055 [...] or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...] [...] or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...]

]]> By: A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) - MuslimMatters.org http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109053 A Muslim’s Guide to Facebook Arguments (and online ridiculousness in general) - MuslimMatters.org Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:15:49 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-109053 [...] or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...] [...] or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over [...]

]]> By: Muslimah http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108998 Muslimah Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:19:00 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108998 So, does that mean all the desserts and food items that contains "alcohol" is halal too just because alcohol cooks out? and I am sorry to say you drink 1 sip of wine or a whole glass it'll still be haraam and the same way if you eat one bite of NON zabiha halal meat or a whole plate of it, it'll still be haraam.  So, does that mean all the desserts and food items that contains “alcohol” is halal too just because alcohol cooks out? and I am sorry to say you drink 1 sip of wine or a whole glass it’ll still be haraam and the same way if you eat one bite of NON zabiha halal meat or a whole plate of it, it’ll still be haraam. 

]]> By: Qanwar http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108977 Qanwar Thu, 15 Mar 2012 06:29:00 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108977 I could think of it as being haram if it was an animal rights issue..  Animal linings being destroyed and what not..horrific.  But lets get serious here. ..God isn't going to send you to hell for eating Doritos!    God:  And that bag of Doritos...yes...Qasim, that is why you are going to hell...Doritos..!  Qasim: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Doritos.  please.   I could think of it as being haram if it was an animal rights issue..  Animal linings being destroyed and what not..horrific.  But lets get serious here. ..God isn’t going to send you to hell for eating Doritos!   

God:  And that bag of Doritos…yes…Qasim, that is why you are going to hell…Doritos..! 

Qasim: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Doritos. 

please.  

]]> By: Lynn Muhammad http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108781 Lynn Muhammad Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:19:00 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108781 As Salaam Alaikum, May peace be unto you! I am begining to say this to myself, more and more. It seems that I have forgotten the purpose of food, which is to nourish my body to keep it healthy. And I would add, in order to serve Allah and to be fit to be at His service. Eating pig/pork or its by products is not allowed for Muslims or anyone who wants to be healthy. Pork, Doritos, Cheetoes, Skittles, ciggaretts and most of all Enfamil are not health producing products. Really, what are we doing to ourselves? Most importantly why are we doing it? It would appear that we are submitting to an unhealthy ways of live? Who do we submit to, Allah the giver of life or the companies that lead us towards death? It is absolutly important that we follow the way of Islam, and all that is written, yet if it happens not to be written, it's OK to follow common sense. In the article that Bro.Yasir wrote he talked about how his son was speaking about how Dooritos are HarA m. Out of the mouths' of babes: I want to thank his son for sharing this. Our children are so precious, so much so that rather there is pork in the junk food or not, or in the Enfamil or not, we should not be feeding it to them because it's 'junk' food. The Holy Quran say 'Read, in the name of thy Lord'. So it is OK to read the lables on the bags or cans. And if what the lable's ingredents say, is full of unhealthy stuff, we can choose not to eat it. Satan makes wrong so fair seeming. Just say, 'No', to the 'Drug' and Food Commissions sanctions of foods that are not good for our children and our selves. And say; As Salaam Alaikum to ourselves in our actions by eating healthy. I think this will help our community. MUCH LOVE, PS- I still have not touched the cheese in the refrigrator, still thinking abou it.:) It's Tillimuk, the package says that it does not contain any animal rennett. Are there any Hala places in Seattle that sale Hala cheese? This is going to be a trail for me. Oh, Please! not the cheese! As Salaam Alaikum, May peace be unto you! I am begining to say this to myself, more and more. It seems that I have forgotten the purpose of food, which is to nourish my body to keep it healthy. And I would add, in order to serve Allah and to be fit to be at His service. Eating pig/pork or its by products is not allowed for Muslims or anyone who wants to be healthy. Pork, Doritos, Cheetoes, Skittles, ciggaretts and most of all Enfamil are not health producing products. Really, what are we doing to ourselves? Most importantly why are we doing it? It would appear that we are submitting to an unhealthy ways of live? Who do we submit to, Allah the giver of life or the companies that lead us towards death? It is absolutly important that we follow the way of Islam, and all that is written, yet if it happens not to be written, it’s OK to follow common sense.

In the article that Bro.Yasir wrote he talked about how his son was speaking about how Dooritos are HarA m. Out of the mouths’ of babes: I want to thank his son for sharing this. Our children are so precious, so much so that rather there is pork in the junk food or not, or in the Enfamil or not, we should not be feeding it to them because it’s ‘junk’ food. The Holy Quran say ‘Read, in the name of thy Lord’. So it is OK to read the lables on the bags or cans. And if what the lable’s ingredents say, is full of unhealthy stuff, we can choose not to eat it. Satan makes wrong so fair seeming. Just say, ’No’, to the ’Drug’ and Food Commissions sanctions of foods that are not good for our children and our selves. And say; As Salaam Alaikum to ourselves in our actions by eating healthy. I think this will help our community.

MUCH LOVE,

PS- I still have not touched the cheese in the refrigrator, still thinking abou it.:) It’s Tillimuk, the package says that it does not contain any animal rennett. Are there any Hala places in Seattle that sale Hala cheese? This is going to be a trail for me. Oh, Please! not the cheese!

]]> By: Ahmed Baseer http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108768 Ahmed Baseer Thu, 08 Mar 2012 05:43:00 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/09/of-mice-and-men-the-cheese-factor/#comment-108768 the companies who manufacture Doritos, Cheetos, Skittles, baby formula Enfamil say they have pork/animal enzymes during the process.   i have no idea why a muslim would not avoid them?  i mean the company is telling you it uses it.   it seems shaikh knows more about the process than the company that manufactures it.        the companies who manufacture Doritos, Cheetos, Skittles, baby formula Enfamil say they have pork/animal enzymes during the process.   i have no idea why a muslim would not avoid them?  i mean the company is telling you it uses it.   it seems shaikh knows more about the process than the company that manufactures it.       

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