Short answer
Cheese made with microbial, vegetable or halal-animal rennet is halal. Cheese made with rennet from a non-zabiha calf is allowed in the Hanafi school on the view of Imam Abu Hanifa, which many Hanafi muftis follow, though avoiding it is better when you can. Pig rennet is haram, and the other three schools treat non-zabiha animal rennet as impure.
Imam Abu Hanifa held that rennet (infaha) from an animal not slaughtered properly stays pure, so cheese made with it is halal; his two students disagreed. Many Hanafi muftis allow such cheese on his view, while advising halal-certified or microbial rennet cheese where it is easy to find.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Rennet from an animal not slaughtered properly is impure, so cheese made with it is not eaten.
- Maliki
- Rennet from an animal not slaughtered properly is impure, so cheese made with it is not eaten.
- Hanbali
- The main view of the school agrees with the Shafi'is, though some Hanbali scholars held such rennet pure.
Explanation
Rennet is the enzyme that makes milk set into cheese. Traditionally it came from the stomach of a young calf. Today much cheese is made with microbial rennet or enzymes produced by fermentation, which are halal in every school.
The question is cheese made with animal rennet from calves that were not slaughtered by zabiha, which is common in traditional European cheeses. Imam Abu Hanifa held that rennet, like milk, is not affected by the death of the animal, so it stays pure. On this basis many Hanafi muftis allow such cheese. Abu Yusuf and Muhammad held it impure, and the other schools agree with them, so the more careful choice is cheese with microbial or halal rennet.
Cheese from abroad was brought to the Prophet ﷺ at Tabuk, and he said bismillah, cut it and ate, without asking how it was made. Scholars cite this for the default that cheese is lawful.
Reading a label:
- Microbial rennet, microbial enzymes, vegetarian rennet: halal.
- Animal rennet or calf rennet, no halal mark: allowed on Abu Hanifa's view, better avoided.
- Pork rennet, or pork-derived enzymes such as some lipase or pepsin: haram.
- Just enzymes: the source is unclear, so ask the maker or choose another cheese.
The same applies to whey, which is a by-product of cheese making. Check others with the halal food checker.
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.
The default for food is that it is lawful and good.
Sunan Abi Dawud 3819
Graded hasan isnaad... أتي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بجبنة في تبوك فدعا بسكين فسمى وقطع ...
"Cheese was brought to the Prophet at Tabuk, so he called for a knife, said bismillah and cut it."
Cheese from non-Muslim lands was eaten without asking how it was made.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Bada'i al-Sana'i, Kitab al-Taharah, on the parts of carrion that are pure. Abu Hanifa's view that rennet from carrion is pure, and his students' view.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-Taharah, on impurities. The Shafi'i view that rennet from carrion is impure.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. 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.