At Mars UK we recently changed the source of some of the whey which is used in some of our chocolate products. We have received lots of feedback that this decision has made it difficult for some of you, especially those of you who are vegetarians, to continue to enjoy our products.

We made a mistake. We apologise.

The consumer is our boss. Therefore we listen to you and your feedback.

As a company we value openness, honesty and diversity and we believe that anybody should be able to choose freely from our range of chocolate brands.

But being sorry isn’t enough. Therefore we commit to you today, that we at Mars UK will ensure that a selection of your favourite brands – Mars bars, Snickers bars, Galaxy and Maltesers, will be suitable for vegetarians in the near future. To this effect we are starting to change our manufacturing process today.

We will keep you informed of our progress against this commitment through regular updates on this website.

Please accept our apology

Updates available here:
http://masterfoodspetition.blogspot.com/

Thanks.

Allaah ta’ala said: “He is the One Who created for you everything on the earth…”

With regards to the animal rennet, then as long as it’s not from the pig then it may be permissible if those companies are owned and operated by the People of the Book (i.e. The Christians and the Jews).

This is so because it is very clearly stated in the Allaah’s Book, that their food is permissible.

Allaah ta’ala said: “The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals, etc.) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them…”

Now this affair returns to some discussions that took place in the ‘Halaal Food’ Section concerning the ruling on imported meats. The ‘Ulamaa have mentioned that it is not from righteousness to ask about the food, once it is established that is it from the People of the Book. This is due to several ahaadeeth in which the Prophet salallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam ate from the meat of the People of the Book, and he didn’t ask ‘How did you slaughter it’ or questions like this. Another time he instructed the Companions to say bismillah and eat from it, without ordering them to investigate its origin and its manner of slaughter. And these ahadeeth are authentic.

An example of this is what has been narrated by Imaamul Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, there occurs: “…Our people come to us with meat and we do not know whether the Name of Allaah was mentioned over it or not. He (salallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: ‘Pronounce His Name over it yourselves and eat it.’”

And also the narration is which a Jewish woman offered the Prophet salallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam some meat and he ate from it without asking any of these things.

But as Shaykh Al Faqeeh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah stated, that if one prefers not to eat from the People of the Book due to wara’a (i.e. due to leaving off some halaal things due to the fear of Allaah) then it is acceptable from him/her. But it is not permissible to declare the food of the People of the Book unlawful, and it is a dangerous thing indeed. The individuals who do this make something haraam that Allaah has made halaal. This could amount to shirk.

So knowing and considering these issues that we mentioned, the topic is not one of worry inshaAllaah except for the ones who speak in the issue from desires and not based upon the clear evidences and Allaah ta’ala knows best.

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With regards to Calf rennet, we said before that as long as the food is free from the Pig or parts of the Pig (pig fat etc), then it is permissible with the condition that the people in charge of these companies are from the People of the Book, because Allaah made their food permissible.

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THE ABOVE WAS POSTED ON A WEBSITE.

CAN YOU TELL ME:

1). In our modern times – don’t we have a choice as to consume foods that we are extreemly sure off. I mean. There are lots of different types of cheeses out there, some we are sure of and some we are not sure of, this means that we as Muslims have a choice to choose the ones we are definitely certain off, right?

2). If we have choices, why do some (those who claim to be sholars or have so much proof), fight to say that the undoubtful foods are permissible, it is undoubtful which I think means that we should stay away from it. Some claim that we should partake of it until proof comes it is strictly doubtful. I claim we should not parttake unitl it is proven Halal.

3). Which countries are “countries of the people of the book”. Any given country in the world, contains Muslims, Jews and Christians. SO exactly which country can we eat from, or which business place can we eat from. Is that statement above saying, that we can go into any christian/jew extablishment or restaurant and eat to our fill, because they are people of the book?

The habit of loving chocolates can be replaced by having dry fruits or dates (the most nourishing and nutrituous food, even a single date is enough for 24 hrs in extreme conditions)in their place. Dates shall be taken with the intention of practising sunnah.

Assalaamualaikum

Please visit: http://www.marscampaign.org

Thanks.

Rowntrees is part of the Nestlé group of companies, if I’m not mistaken. The make fruit pastelles, and fruit gums.

Wine Gums etc & Refreshers are made by bassets, part of Cadbury Schwepps Basetts.

The two types of products both contain Gelatin, derived from bones of more or less any animal they can find.

The Rennet used in Mars/Masterfoods chocolate is derived from Veal, young calves, and not from pigs – however there are many muslims who feel very strongly against the use of any animal ingredients and processing agents in their chocolate.

it’s no loss, chocolate is pretty unpleasant stuff. if you’re feeling peckish, why not grab a bag of nuts or some other snack?