Short answer
Vegetable and synthetic glycerin are halal. Glycerin can also come from animal fat, including pork, and in the Deobandi Hanafi position animal glycerin in food is avoided unless it is from a halal source. Vegetable glycerin on the label, or halal certification, settles the question.
Glycerin from plant oils or synthesis is halal. Glycerin from pigs or non-zabiha animals is avoided in food by most Deobandi muftis. Some Hanafi scholars are more lenient with glycerin made as a by-product of soap, since the school holds that impure fat made into soap becomes pure.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki
- Transformation (istihala) is accepted more widely, so some Maliki scholars treat glycerin made from animal fat as a new, pure substance.
Explanation
Glycerin is a sweet, clear, syrupy liquid that keeps food moist. It is used in icing and fondant, cakes, cereal bars, sweets and flavourings, and outside food in toothpaste, cough syrup, soap, lotion and vape liquid. Labels may say glycerin, glycerine, glycerol or E422.
Most glycerin today comes from plant oils such as palm, coconut and soy, often as a by-product of biodiesel, or is made synthetically. Some still comes from animal fat as a by-product of soap making. The label rarely says which.
- Vegetable or synthetic glycerin: halal.
- Glycerin from pork fat: avoided in food.
- Glycerin from other animal fat: avoided in food unless the animals were slaughtered by zabiha.
- Unstated source: check for halal certification or ask the maker.
Outside food the question is lighter. Ibn Abidin records the Hanafi fatwa that impure oil turned into soap becomes pure, and some Hanafi scholars apply this to soap-derived glycerin in lotion and toothpaste. Even so, vegetable glycerin is easy to find. For related ingredients see mono and diglycerides and E-numbers.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:168
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُوا۟ مِمَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَلَٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۭ مُّبِينٌ ﴿١٦٨﴾
O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
Food should be lawful and good.
Sahih al-Bukhari 52
Sahih... الحلال بين والحرام بين وبينهما مشبهات ...
"The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between them are doubtful matters."
Supports avoiding glycerin of doubtful source in food.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on impurities, on transformation (inqilab al-'ayn). Impure oil made into soap becomes pure; the fatwa is on this because of widespread need.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.