As a Muslim you live according to the dietary laws set out in the Quran. With traditional foods, such as meat and drinks, it is very clear which you may (halal) and which you may not (haram) consume. Those examples are, after all, clearly stated in the Quran. But what about new products, such as CBD? Is CBD halal or haram? In this article we go into this question in more depth. In brief, up front: CBD is permitted for Muslims, but pay close attention to which type you use. Some types are not permitted.
Halal: not animal-derived and not intoxicating
Before we tell you which types of cannabidiol (CBD) you may and may not take as a Muslim, it is good to look again at what, according to the faith, the reasons are for marking foods as permitted or not permitted. In any case, drinks and foods that have an intoxicating effect are not permitted. That is why alcoholic drinks and drugs are always haram. On top of that, meat and animal products from animals that have not been slaughtered in the traditional way are prohibited. In general we can therefore say that products containing animal constituents are always prohibited, unless they are halal certified (which indicates that animals have been slaughtered according to Islamic tradition).
Types of CBD that are halal
It follows from these dietary laws that CBD oil and other CBD products such as capsules and patches are in any case halal when they meet two requirements:
- They are free of intoxicating substances
- They are free of animal constituents
Since CBD itself is not intoxicating, we only need to look at whether the product is also free of animal constituents and psychoactive constituents. About animal constituents we cannot be brief, because it differs per product. Some of our CBD products do contain something animal-derived: gelatine in some gummies, beeswax in some balms and salmon oil in the oil for dogs and cats. Capsule shells can be made of gelatine too. So always check the list of ingredients. Many of our products do contain THC, though, so as a Muslim you really should avoid those.
What is permitted are CBD products that are entirely free of THC. These are products with the following types of CBD:
- Broad spectrum CBD (here the THC has been 100% filtered out)
- CBD isolate (this is pure CBD, so without THC too)
So when ordering your CBD, look carefully at the type of CBD it contains. Does it say ‘CBD isolate’ or ‘broad spectrum CBD’? Then it contains no THC. After that, check the list of ingredients for animal constituents.
Types of CBD that are haram
As an attentive reader you will by now have worked out which types of CBD are not halal but haram. These are in any case types of CBD containing THC, so products based on full spectrum CBD. As a Muslim, then, it is better not to choose full spectrum CBD oil or CBD paste. Also pay attention to the carrier oil or the product form. Carrier oils based on animal products, gels containing pork ingredients for instance, and skin products containing animal fats are always haram.
Frequently asked questions about CBD and halal
Is CBD halal or haram?
CBD itself is plant-based and not intoxicating. According to the dietary laws we describe in this article, a CBD product is halal if it is free of intoxicating substances and of animal constituents. Whether a product is permitted therefore depends on the type of CBD and on the other ingredients.
Is full spectrum CBD halal?
According to the explanation in this article, no. Full spectrum CBD contains a small amount of THC, and THC is intoxicating. If you want to use CBD as a Muslim, choose broad spectrum CBD or CBD isolate: they contain no THC.
Are CBD gummies halal?
That depends on two things: the type of CBD and the other ingredients. Jelly with animal ingredients, for example from pigs, is haram, and if it contains full spectrum CBD, the product contains THC. So check the label for both the type of CBD and the list of ingredients.
Is CBD intoxicating?
No. CBD is not psychoactive, so it will not make you high. THC is, and it is present in small amounts in full spectrum products. Legal CBD products in the Netherlands stay below 0.05% THC, and the brands we work with have every batch tested externally.
Taking CBD as a Muslim: choose reliable quality
If you choose CBD that is free of THC and of animal constituents, it meets the two requirements from this article. We do recommend always choosing CBD from reliable brands such as Wedihemp and Dutch Hemp. These brands have every batch tested externally, so you can check whether it contains what is on the label. Be careful, on the other hand, with CBD oil from unknown brands: the THC content may not match what is on the packaging.
