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[FULL QUESTION]

My new child is being born soon and she may be under specialist care with antibiotics because of the fear of an infection she may have at birth. I wanted to know about using baby formula milk which has "animal rennet used in the process of production" however it is not present in the final product and "is not one of the ingredients" (aptamil). These quotes have been mentioned by the actual companies themselves. There is one other alternate milk formula available which is vegetarian (SMA), however, it gave my other young baby a bad stomach and there are no other alternate formulas available for my baby other than these animal rennet containing milks. Has enough "tabdiili" taken place for it to be acceptable to be used? I ask this as I need to start preparing what milk to take for my baby in the hospital as they only allow ready made formulas and because of her potential illness I only want to use formula that will not create any new stomach related problems such as diarrhoea. As breast milk has been hard to produce in the first few days after the previous birth. Jazak Allah khair for your time.

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the scenario mentioned, as the said formula milk has not been declared by the manufacturers or verified by a reputable halal certifying body, as suitable for halal, then, in this situation, the following points should be noted.

If the milk described does contain any animal rennet which is not from a porcine source, then it is permissible to use according to the view of Imam Abu Hanifah. However, if this milk has been manufactured using porcine rennet, then, it would not be permissible to use except in the case of a genuine medical need and in the absence of a suitable alternative. In the light of the above points, one may utilise the said formula milk.

35/ 24: و في المبسوط

...وَعَلَى هَذَا إنْفَحَةُ الْمَيْتَةِ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ طَاهِرَةٌ مَائِعَةً كَانَتْ ، أَوْ جَامِدَةً بِمَنْزِلَةِ اللَّبَنِ ، وَعِنْدَ الشَّافِعِيِّ نَجِسَةُ الْعَيْنِ ، وَعِنْدَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ وَمُحَمَّدٍ إنْ كَانَتْ مَائِعَةً ، فَهِيَ نَجِسَةٌ بِنَجَاسَةِ الْوِعَاءِ كَاللَّبَنِ ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ جَامِدَةً ، فَلَا بَأْسَ بِالِانْتِفَاعِ بِهَا بَعْدَ الْغَسْلِ ؛ لِأَنَّ بِنَجَاسَةِ الْوِعَاءِ لَا يَتَنَجَّسُ بَاطِنُهَا ، وَمَا عَلَى ظَاهِرِهَا يَزُولُ بِالْغَسْلِ ، وَأَشَارَ لِأَبِي حَنِيفَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الْكِتَابِ إلَى حَرْفٍ ، فَقَالَ ؛ لِأَنَّهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ إنْفَحَةً ، وَلَا لَبَنًا ، وَهِيَ مَيِّتَةٌ ، وَلَا يَضُرُّهَا مَوْتُ الشَّاةِ يَعْنِي أَنَّ اللَّبَنَ ، وَالْإِنْفَحَةَ تَنْفَصِلُ مِنْ الشَّاةِ بِصِفَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ حَيَّةً كَانَتْ الشَّاةُ ، أَوْ مَيِّتَةً ذُبِحَتْ ، أَوْ لَمْ تُذْبَحْ ، فَلَا يَكُونُ لِمَوْتِ الشَّاةِ تَأْثِيرٌ فِي اللَّبَنِ ، وَالْإِنْفَحَةِ...

And Allah knows best