This is the text of a full page ad taken out by GlaxoSmithKline (the people who make Lucozade and Ribena) in the September/October 2004 issue of emel magazine.

Quote:

[size=16]Halal status confirmed for Lucozade and Ribena.[/size]

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is aware of the concerns of Muslim consumers about the religious appropriateness of specific ingredients in our range of Lucozade and Ribena products. GSK takes the concerns of our consumers extremely seriously.

Lucozade and Ribena are non-alcoholic drinks as defined by EU legislation. However, some of our products do contain trace amounts of alcohol, which is used in many soft drinks as a carrying agent for flavourings. Alcohol is authorised for use under EU law for this purpose and only tiny amounts of it are required. This concentration is so low that it can have no intoxicating effect. By comparison, foods like fruit juices and bread, which are commonly consumed, can also contain the same or higher trace amounts of alcohol due to natural fermentation.

In April of this year, GSK submitted an application to the Shariah Council of the UK for a Fatawa (opinion of a qualified Islamic Scholar) relating to the Ribena and Lucozade ranges in the UK. After careful review of the ingredients, their low levels within the drinks and the methods of manufacture, the Shariah council confirmed in June 2004 that they are “Halal” or permissible for Muslim consumption. As such, Muslim consumers should feel comfortable in the knowledge that consuming Lucozade and Ribena does not contravene their religious beliefs.

GSK is the first drinks manufacturer in the United Kingdom, that we are aware of, to subject its products to this sort of rigorous scrutiny by Islamic Law bodies and to have obtained a positive Fatawa.

If you have any further questions regarding this announcement please contact Customer Relations Manager, GlaxoSmithKline, FREEPOST TK, Brentford, TW8 9G5 or call 0800 096 3666

Well, I think it depends if the alcohol is put inside the product intentionally, not just appearing in trace amounts naturally, I mean, even oranges have trace amounts of alcohol.

had no idea about ribena or lucozade....just bought some to take to hospital...shukr hai its halal

is it though??

well thats what it says in the txt irf gave...and i had no clue it could have alcohal in it. im sure its halal

mayb

This prob still won't convince Med but:

Quote:

[size=18]Lucozade and Ribena 'fit for Muslims to consume'[/size]

Monday August 2, 2004

[b]The Guardian[/b]

A leading British organisation on Islamic law has issued a fatwa on Lucozade, saying Muslims can drink the soft drink despite it containing alcohol.

The religious ruling has been welcomed by the drink's maker, GlaxoSmithKline.

It sought the judgment after being contacted by Muslims concerned at rumours that Lucozade was made with alcohol. Lucozade does have a trace amount which is permitted by food laws, but Muslims feared that consuming it might breach their religion.

Ribena was also given the all-clear. The drink was a potential problem for Muslims because during its production process a filter is used made from gelatin, derived from pigs.

Some Muslims have stopped buying both the drinks.

The company undertook a five-month process to have both drinks declared halal (clean) under Islamic law. The ruling means that Lucozade and Ribena are the first British soft drinks declared fit for Muslims to consume.

Lucozade contains 0.01% of ethyl alcohol to ensure the flavouring permeates the whole drink.

The company approached the UK Muslim Law (Shariah) Council to rule on whether its products were haram (forbidden by Islamic law).

Its chairman, Zaki Badawi, a former adviser on Islam to the Prince of Wales, concluded: "I see no harm in consuming Ribena and Lucozade which contain traces of ethyl alcohol and animal ingredients that do not bear their original qualities and do not change the taste, colour or smell of the product."

Tiny amounts of alcohol occur naturally in many drinks and foods, such as bread.

To reach the ruling the company recreated an incident from the life of the Prophet Muhammad when he drank liquid produced from soaking raisins in water for several days, called nabith. The scientists found that the mixture would ferment, producing alcohol.

The results of the experiment helped Dr Badawi reach his decision.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,2763,1274008,00.html

Quote:

[size=18]Muslims get soft drinks go-ahead[/size]

Monday, 2 August, 2004

[b]BBC[/b]

Muslims in the UK have been given permission to consume soft drinks which contain minute traces of alcohol and pork products.

Under strict interpretation of Muslim law, Lucozade and Ribena were both previously considered to be "unclean".

Lucozade contains 0.01% ethyl alcohol to aid flavouring, which the Muslim Law Council now says is too small to matter

Ribena previously used gelatin - a pork by-product - in its production but has now changed its manufacturing methods.

Long-running dilemma

The Muslim Law Council - the UK's highest authority on halal (clean) food - consulted earlier rulings by imams on halal food before reaching its decision.

In the ruling, the Council's chair, Zaki Badawi, said precedents had been set allowing the use of non-halal ingredients in certain cases.

"I see no harm in consuming Ribena and Lucozade which contain traces of ethyl alcohol and animal ingredients that do not bear their original qualities and do not change the taste, colour or smell of the product," Mr Badawi said.

In its submission to the Muslim Law Council, the drinks' maker, GlaxoSmithKline, pointed out fruit juices and bread could also contain the same or higher trace amounts of alcohol due to natural fermentation.

The decision ends a long-running dilemma for some devout Muslims who have avoided buying the brands for fear of breaching religious rules.

In the wake of the ruling, the British Soft Drinks Association said it would not propose a new labelling policy but some companies might decide to mark their products "halal" to prevent any future confusion.

A spokesman said: "Soft drinks are non-alcoholic, we welcome this confirmation and hope that it can reassure those consumers who were concerned."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3527724.stm

"irfghan" wrote:

This prob still won't convince Med but:

lol.

I aint gonna make this into a big issue. I just am not convinced, if u want proof then just as here we have a ruling from some people, I can also provide a ruling from other Ulama. So it aint a big issue. Drink if u want, but by us I dislike it.

how comes it never came across me before...dnt want dad taking it in if it aint allowed...dunno i dnt like to doubt

The Majlis Ul Ulama, and also leading Hanafi Ulama of MAKKAH Mukkarammah mentioned in my very presence in front of me that these soft drinks are not halal.

They are alcoholic drinks, according to these leading ULAMA, and believe they have done some DEEP investigations to come to this conclusions. Best to avoid.

Give him zamzam, and if u aint got any shud b able to buy some from shops. Then mix normal water with it to increase vol and give that to your father. Believe, me water is best for any illperson, and zamzam is IDEAL !!

Girls should not drink Coke

[b]Colas, not coffee, linked to hypertension in women [/b]

Reuters - Tue Nov 8, 2005

Women do not develop high blood pressure from a coffee drinking habit but there is a link between hypertension and drinking colas that may have nothing to do with caffeine, a study said on Tuesday.

"We found strong evidence to refute speculation that coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of hypertension in women," wrote study author Wolfgang Winkelmayer of Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Previous studies have offered conflicting findings about the relationship between coffee consumption and hypertension, but many experts have concluded healthy peoples' bodies learn to tolerate a daily cup or two.

No link was found between habitual coffee consumption and hypertension based on analysis of 12 years of data on 33,077 cases of high blood pressure among 155,594 women participating in the Nurses Health Study, which is jointly run by the hospital and the school.

However, there was an association found between hypertension and consumption of caffeinated colas, independent of whether the soft drinks were sugared or diet. The current study did not look at non-cola soft drinks.

"We speculate that it is not caffeine but perhaps some other compound contained in soda-type soft drinks that may be responsible for the increased risk in hypertension," said the study, which was published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association.

Roughly 50 million people in the United States suffer from hypertension, and the number is increasing. The condition increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney trouble.

Aspartame, which is found in many products, particularly sweeteners and diet products, is responsible for a range of ills including lupus. If you know anyone with MS-like symptoms and they drink diet products and use sweeteners, they should avoid these products at all costs.

Salam

"100" wrote:

Aspartame, which is found in many products, particularly sweeteners and diet products, is responsible for a range of ills including lupus. If you know anyone with MS-like symptoms and they drink diet products and use sweeteners, they should avoid these products at all costs.

I didn't know that. I shall tell others

Thank you 100. God be with you.

You may have saved many people from falling ill.

Omrow

You're welcome, Omrow. I shall pass the blessing on to my aunt, who showed me this.

The following contradicts Zaki Badawi's fatwa. Also it should be noted pork is used in the manufacture of ribena. The same scholars claimed since it's altered small consumption allowed. Also claim none in ribena blackurrant but present in other flavours??

Quote:

Ribena Lucozade fatwa:Title LUCOZADE AND RIBENA SOFT DRINKS IN UK ARE NOT HALAL FOR MUSLIMS
Event Date Sun Aug 08 00:00:00 CDT 2004
Type Alert
Description Muslim Consumer Group was contacted by a UK Muslim consumer about fatwa issued by UK Muslim Laws Council regarding the Halal status of Lucozade and Ribena soft drink. We also checked the information provided by Guardian article on line and IslamonLine.net. The following are the reasons why we disagree with Fatwa issued by UK Muslim Laws Council: Use of ethyl alcohol as a solvent in Natural and Artificial Flavors in Lucozade soft drink: 1. There is a difference in purpose between ethyl alcohol produced naturally in many fruits, during fermentation of bread baking and alcohol produced commercially. Production of alcohol in fruits by nature is not for intoxication purpose or having pleasure while purpose of producing alcohol commercially are many, such as adding alcohol to wine or liquor to meet FDA requirements of alcohol content. Many ulema are very keen to point out very low amount of alcohol such as 0.01% alcohol in above soft drinks. This is misleading and confuse the Muslim consumers. Let us examine the alcohol content of natural or artificial as a raw material at the time of manufacturing soft drink. The alcohol content of most flavors are any where between 90-95% of the total flavor. The actual flavoring compounds percentage in a flavor is very low compared to alcohol content. Ulema ignore this fact of adding a Haram ingredient to make a soft drink, but they are interested only in the minute amount of alcohol in a finished soft drink. 2. Natural and artificial flavors can be made without alcohol by using Halal solvent such as Propylene Glycol. Many soft drinks are available in the market without alcohol being used as a solvent. I personally developed four high protein nutritional bars for MLO products; Fairfield, CA in 2003 without alcohol is being used as a solvent in natural flavors. 3. Flavor chemists and Flavor houses in western countries are not educated about the Haram status of ethyl alcohol as a solvent. They considered ethyl alcohol as an excellent solvent without any side effects for its use in food products. Ulema should not come under the pressure from food companies to follow their wishes and find out loop holes in the sharia which are not acceptable to majority of Muslim consumers. According to IslamonLine.net "Zaki, however, urged the drinks maker to pursue research to find alternative material in order to allay the conscience of Muslims who might be worried". This does not make any sense, it means that they are not even sure about their own fatwa. Then why Muslims in UK should follow their fatwa. Why Br. Zaki and council do not want to wait to get Halal alternate. What is is rush? Why GlaxoSmithKline is pressuring the council?. Are they really representing UK Muslims for good causes?. 4. When an alternate to ethyl alcohol as a solvent is ready available and it is being used in many Halal food products what is the need of this fatwa. Can UK Muslims live without those soft drinks? Why is the UK Muslim Laws Council so interested in providing this fatwa and what benefits it has to those poised UK Muslim consumers? These are serious questions the Council has to answer to UK Muslim consumers. Did they approach any Muslim Food scientist working for the UK food industry and has considered his or her scientific opinion in issuing the fatwa? 5. According to Sahee Muslim, Sahee Muslim and Sahee Bukhar 492 Narrated by Aisha R.A, Allah’s Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallum said “all drinks that intoxicate are unlawful to drink (Kullu Sharbin Askara Fahuwa Haramun). According to Sahee Muslim and Sahee Tarmizi Narrated by Ibn Omar, Allah’s Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallum said every intoxicant is khamer and every intoxicant is Haram (Kullu muskirun khumrun wa Kullu Muskirun Haramun).According Sahee Muslim, narrated by Bareda R.A Allah’s Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallum said every intoxicant is Haram (Kullu Muskirun Haramun). According Sahee Turmizi, narrated by Aisha R.A, Allah’s Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallum said every intoxicant is Haram (Kullu Muskirun Haramun). From the above, we can conclude that the alcohol is Haram and can not be used in Halal food product because there is a Halal alternative is available.

Ref:
http://www.muslimconsumergroup.com/Events.do?menu=Events&eventAction=eve...

The following contradicts scholars who say gelatin is altered and therefore allowed:

http://www.muslimconsumergroup.com/Events.do?menu=Events&eventAction=eve...

I think I'm gonna avoid it.

had no idea they had alcohol. Apparently pepsi suppose to have alcohol but if thats true then why do they have it on asian airlines e.g. PIA and paki land

never heard about pepsi either ....

dnt think its true though

sisterinislam, you don't understand why people take medication that contains alcohol? Wow.

"sisterinislam" wrote:

asslam alikum brothers and sisters, you hear people saying wearing alcohol perfumes and resding salah is not permissable. i don't understand why we eat medication most of which contains alcohol. asslam alikum jaskallah.

Cuz if somethin which contains alcohol and is used to cure you from somethin then you are using it for an entirely diff. reason plus the alochol amount would be very little. Your not takin medication to get drunk its just a means of cure.

i once was given tablets by the doctor which contained gelatin, my dad cuz who is holy moly said you can eat them coz its to make you better but i couldn't bring myself to eat them and chuckd them out. But yeah apprently medication which is haraam you can take.

I would not eat haraam medication unless it is really life or death...

That is my position on it.

even if it were life an death i still wouldnt touch it

"irfghan" wrote:

This prob still won't convince Med but:

Hey you now have sown seeds into my mind!

I am not like Med, that I will fully agree with a scholar... I need to myself understand the stuff.

From the filtration process used, i would avoid the drinks!

[edit]

Naz in life or death situation, you HAVE to choose life. It is not a case of ignoring Shariah, ut abiding by it.

i know you have to choose life but i personally could never eat something knowing its haraam even if islam allows it, its just something i believe in.

but then Islam says its not haraam in that case

so how can you not eat it coz its haraam?

even if islam says its not haraam its just the thought of eatin it that makes your stomach turn.