Is cheese halal?

The Prophet ﷺ ate cheese

Abdullah ibn Umar reported that the Prophet ﷺ "was brought a piece of cheese in Tabuk. He called for a knife, mentioned Allah's name and cut it" (Sunan Abi Dawud 3819). He was also asked about cheese and other foods and replied that what Allah was silent about "is among that for which He has pardoned" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1726).

So cheese isn't suspicious in itself. It's a normal, everyday food.

What rennet is

To turn milk into cheese, cheesemakers add enzymes that make it curdle. There are a few kinds:

• Microbial rennet: made from fungi or bacteria. Halal.
• Fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC): made by microorganisms. Widely used in modern cheese and generally considered halal.
• Vegetable rennet: from plants like thistle. Halal.
• Animal rennet: traditionally from the stomachs of young calves, and occasionally from pigs. This is the debated one.

A large share of supermarket cheese today uses microbial rennet or FPC. Some traditional European cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, must by law be made with calf rennet.

What scholars say about animal rennet

• Hanafi school: Imam Abu Hanifa held that rennet stays pure even if the calf wasn't slaughtered the Islamic way, so cheese made with it is halal.
• Shafi'i and Hanbali schools (and many others): rennet is only halal if it comes from a properly slaughtered halal animal.
• Pig rennet: rejected by the four schools.

Some contemporary scholars also accept animal rennet because it's a tiny amount that is transformed during cheesemaking. If you follow a stricter view, choose cheese labeled "vegetarian" or "microbial rennet," or with a halal logo.

Other things to watch for

• Alcohol: some cheeses are washed in wine, beer or brandy, or mixed with them. See Can I cook with wine as a Muslim if the alcohol burns off?
• Gelatin: some cream cheeses, cheesecakes and low-fat products add it. See Can I still eat gummy bears as a Muslim?
• Toppings: cheese on pizza or in sandwiches often sits next to pork. See Can I still eat pizza as a Muslim if I pick off the pepperoni?

When you can't find out, the Prophet's ﷺ advice to stay away from doubtful matters applies (Sahih al-Bukhari 52), but don't make it harder than it is.