Shellac or lac resin (E904)

Shellac (E904, also 'resinous glaze') is a resin made by lac insects, used to glaze sweets and pills. Darul Fatwa and halal.ua haven't ruled on shellac itself, and schools that forbid insects differ on what insects produce, so it is Doubtful · high.

Food	Cosmetics & personal care	Medicine
Doubtful · high	Doubtful · high	Doubtful · high

Concern

Scholars differ

The schools of Islamic law differ on this ingredient. We follow Darul Fatwa's school and show a Scholars differ note with what the other schools say.

Scholars differ

Darul Fatwa has not ruled on shellac. It is a resin made by the living lac insect, and the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) rules it pure and halal. Schools that forbid insects differ on whether that extends to what insects produce.

What clears it

Nothing can clear this, because the problem is the ingredient itself.

Also listed as: E904

What our sources say

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · متن أبي شجاع في الفقه الشافعي

والحيوان كله طاهر إلا الكلب والخنزير وما تولد منهما أو من أحدهما

Translation “Every animal is pure except the dog, the pig, and what is born of them both or of one of them”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · فصل في معاصي البطن

ج: يحرم أكل المسكر، وكذلك يحرم أكل النجس والمستقذر كالمني وإن كان طاهراً.

Translation “A: It is forbidden to eat what intoxicates, and likewise it is forbidden to eat what is najis and what is repulsive, such as semen, even if it is pure.”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · متن أبي شجاع في الفقه الشافعي

وكل مائع خرج من السبيلين نجس إلا المني

Translation “Every fluid that comes out of the two passages is najis, except semen”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

All sources →

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