What it is and where it comes from
Beef gelatin is made from cattle hides and bones. Halal beef gelatin is made only from animals slaughtered in the halal way, under a certifier. Ordinary beef gelatin comes from any cattle.
What scholars say
- Halal certifiers: only gelatin from cattle slaughtered in the halal way.
- Some scholars accept beef gelatin from ordinary slaughter, either because they hold that making gelatin transforms it (istihalah), or because they accept meat slaughtered by Jews and Christians (Quran 5:5).
Where you find it
Halal jelly sweets and marshmallows, desserts, capsules and supplements.
What to look for on the label
Look for "halal beef gelatin" or a halal logo. "Beef gelatin" without a logo tells you it is not pork, but not how the animal was slaughtered.
This is a guide, not a fatwa. Recipes change, so check the label, look for halal certification, and ask your local imam where scholars differ.