Assalaamu alaykum. I would like to know if the use of citric acid in food/beverages is halal or haram. I found that your website has an article about citric acid, but it is in Arabic. (I am currently studying it, but am not able yet to translate it.) Please advice. Thank you.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

There is no harm in using citric acid in food and beverages. The basic principle is that all things are halaal (lawful) unless proven otherwise by Sharia evidence. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.} [Quran 45:13]

Shaykh ‘Abd Ar-Rahmaan As-Sa‘di wrote, “It means that He created, out of kindness and mercy towards you, all that which is on the earth to benefit from it and to enjoy and to learn lessons. This verse proves that the basic principle is that all things are pure and lawful because the context in which the verse comes is reminding people of the favors of Allah upon them...” Hence, nothing should be deemed unlawful unless proven s such by a Sharia-acceptable reason, such as being harmful or the like.

The article in reference, published on our website, underlines that the specialists indicated that citric acid is found naturally in citrus fruits, such as the lemon, that it is used as a flavoring and preservative for both food and beverages, and that it is safe for human consumption according to food regulations in all countries. Hence, there is no problem in using it.

Allah knows best.