Fatwa No : 6502
The Commercial run in TV about Lays Chips

The Commercial run in TV about Lays Chips

Assalamu Alaikum
In the Commercial run in TV about LAYS CHIPS, Junaid Jemshid Sahib assures that it is Halal to persuade people to eat it and he himself eats it whereas Lays is a product of the the Company which makes PEPSI COLA about which the Fatwa of your respected Ulemas is available to the extent that it's water is Haram on every Muslim since it contains swine fat. So how can another product of this Company be Halal? Even if we take it for granted what Junaid Jemshid says, can't we live wthout eating a product of those who mock on Hadhrath Muhammad Musthafa Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam? Please answer this question soon and guide weak muslims like me and others.
Note: In this mail Codes of lot of products are mentioned alongwith informations as to they are Haram.
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FYI, about its authenticity - not known.
E631
Disodium inosinate
Not normally suitable for vegetarians - usually made from meat or fish.
Dear All, After I sent a mail that there is no such writing on Lays as claimed in the below mail, some one indicated that the matter is related to Lays Masala as per original mail. I followed up and tried to track this. I found that this Lays Masala indicates the prohibited E631 on it. I wrote a letter to GE Pepsi Cola International, manufacturer of this Lays product. Attached is the copy of my letter but he never replied. His name is Kh. Abdullah and his office number is 92-42-5298476. He never replied to me on this issue. In this context I am now sure that Lays includes prohibited versions of ingredients and I request that it must be boycotted. Let’s boycott LAYS and distribute this information to all others.
Best Regards,

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

If it is established by appropriate research that the condiments/spices used in Lays chips or the oil in which it is made is, mixed with any type of Haram ingredient or due to any chemical reaction the essence and the nature of the Haram ingredient is not transformed too, then in such a circumstance it is not permissible to consume it. Or else, just for a suspicion it is preferable to avoid eating it. If someone has eaten it he will not be counted as one who has eaten Haram. However this is a matter pertaining to research. And those who proclaimed to be researchers come out with two different opinions, hence, research should be carried out through a reliable institute and followed accordingly. Same is the ruling about cold drinks like Pepsi with regard to mixing of Pepsien in it. As for the referred person, neither he has his own research centre or laboratory nor he himself is a Mufti or a religious scholar, so as to follow his opinions or actions in matters that require research and analysis, whereas Muslims are bound to act according to the rulings of the Shari'a. Notwithstanding his attachment with the Tablighi Jamaat, the approach adopted by the person concerned is not fitting since Tablighi Jamaat, along with being a moderate Jamaat, includes in it's charter to abstain from interfering into controversial actions and matters as such. Rather in such a situation his responsibility is that, he should have got the research done on Lays chips by a genuine, dependable research institute and then obtained opinion from a reliable, qualified religious institute or a religious scholar and subsequently made the announcement on it. However his non-prudent approach is not a criterion or an authority on rest of the Muslims. Muslims should act only according to the rulings of the Shari'a.