kismis hitam – Is It Halal?

Overview

Black currant (Ribes nigrum) is a small, dark-purple to black berry native to temperate regions of central and northern Europe and northern Asia. It has been cultivated for over 400 years and is widely used in food and beverage manufacturing as a whole fruit, in jams, juices, syrups, squashes, teas, desserts, flavourings, and extracts. Its characteristic tart flavour and deep colour also make it a popular base for confectionery coatings, yogurts, and — critically from an Islamic perspective — alcoholic liqueurs such as crème de cassis.

Source

Black currants are entirely plant-derived. The fruit itself is a botanical product with no animal components. However, processed black currant preparations may introduce haram or mushbooh concerns depending on manufacturing context:

• Fresh or frozen black currants: Pure plant origin, no additives.
• Black currant juice / syrup / jam: Generally plant-origin but may include additives (see below).
• Black currant flavour extracts: Often use ethanol (alcohol) as a solvent carrier to extract and preserve volatile flavour compounds. The source and residual level of alcohol in the final product determines permissibility.
• Crème de cassis (black currant liqueur): EU-regulated product containing 15–20% v/v ethanol — produced by macerating black currants in alcohol. Clearly and unambiguously HARAM.
• Fermented black currant beverages: Research has explored using black currant pomace in fungal fermentation. Such fermented products must be evaluated on their actual alcohol content.

Color additives in black currant-flavoured products may include carmine (E120), derived from cochineal insects — which is itself a separate and significant halal concern requiring attention on product labels.

Islamic Ruling — Scholarly Differences Exist

The black currant fruit in its natural, unprocessed state is universally considered permissible (halal) across all four Sunni schools of jurisprudence. The Quranic principle is that all wholesome foods of the earth are permitted unless a specific prohibition applies (Quran 2:168, 5:88). The operative fiqh maxim is: al-asl fi'l-ashya' al-ibaha — "the default ruling on [natural] things is permissibility."

Scholarly debate emerges only when black currants appear in processed or fermented products, particularly those involving ethanol.

Madhahib Perspectives

Hanafi School: Fresh black currants and unfermented juices/syrups are halal. The Hanafi school applies a well-known leniency distinguishing between khamr (intoxicating grape or date wine — held intrinsically impure) and other fermented beverages, which are prohibited only when consumed to intoxication. However, contemporary Hanafi scholars and bodies (including Darul Ifta networks) are increasingly cautious about any product with measurable alcohol levels, even from non-grape sources. Flavour extracts using ethanol as a carrier may be permissible in small trace quantities by some Hanafi opinions, but this is not unanimous.

Maliki School: Fresh fruits are halal without question. Maliki jurisprudence similarly permits small quantities of non-grape alcohol used as solvents when not intended as an intoxicant and when the residual is negligible, but forbids any amount if consumed for intoxication. Processed black currant products with added alcohol would require case-by-case evaluation.

Shafi'i School (more restrictive): The Shafi'i position holds that all forms of alcohol (ethanol), regardless of source, are impure (najis) and prohibited. This means black currant flavour extracts using ethanol as a carrier, even in trace amounts, would be considered impermissible by strict Shafi'i opinion. Fermented black currant beverages with any measurable alcohol are haram. Only products where ethanol is confirmed absent or genuinely negligible in a way scholars accept would be permissible.

Hanbali School (more restrictive): The Hanbali school closely parallels the Shafi'i position on alcohol: ethanol from any source is prohibited when used in food or drink, and the principle of blocking the means (sadd al-dhara'i') pushes toward avoidance. For processed black currant products with any alcoholic ingredient, the Hanbali ruling is generally toward impermissibility. Fresh fruit is halal without reservation.

Important Considerations

1. Fruit itself vs. processed products: The ingredient "black currant" as a fruit is halal. The form it takes in a processed product governs the actual ruling. Always examine the full ingredient list of any black currant product.

2. Alcohol/fermentation in processing: MUI (Majelis Ulama Indonesia) Fatwa No. 10/2018 and the related LPPOM guidance confirm that naturally occurring ethanol in ripe fruit (typically <0.5%) is not classified as khamr and is tolerated. However, if fermentation is deliberately induced and the alcohol level rises to potentially intoxicating levels, the product becomes haram. Black currant is high in sugars (~30–50% monosaccharides in solid content), creating fermentation risk in improperly stored juices.

3. Ethanol-based flavour extracts: When listed on a food label as "black currant flavour" or "natural flavour," the extract may have been produced using ethanol as a solvent. This is a recognised concern for Shafi'i and Hanbali consumers in particular, and caution is warranted.

4. Carmine (E120) co-occurrence: Black currant-flavoured products — particularly sweets, yogurts, and beverages — may use carmine as a red/purple colorant. Carmine is derived from cochineal insects; its permissibility is disputed, with many scholars ruling it haram or mushbooh. This is a separate concern from the black currant itself but commonly co-occurs.

5. When in doubt, avoid: For Shafi'i and Hanbali Muslims especially, any processed black currant product without explicit halal certification from a recognised body (JAKIM, MUI, IFANCA, HMC, etc.) should be approached with caution given the realistic possibility of alcohol-based extraction, fermentation, or non-halal additives.

References

• Blackcurrant — Wikipedia
• Black Currant — Britannica
• Is It Halal To Consume Fermented Fruits and Vegetables? — LPPOM MUI
• Understanding MUI Fatwa on Ethanol Levels — LPPOM MUI
• Is Fruit Halal? — IslamQA (Hanafi/Askimam)
• Lawful and Unlawful Foods According to the Hanbalis — Musa Furber
• Crème de Cassis — Wikipedia (alcohol content)
• Is Alcohol in Food Haram? — HalalCodeCheck
• Compositional Diversity Among Blackcurrant Cultivars — PMC/NCBI
• Halal and Haram Ingredients Guide — Halal Foundation

This analysis combines research with AI verification. This is NOT a fatwa. Scholars genuinely differ on this issue. Please consult qualified Islamic scholars for religious rulings specific to your situation and madhab.