Coffee is a globally beloved drink enjoyed by billions worldwide, and considered halal by Muslims worldwide. A special type of coffee known as “kopi luwak”, made with Asian palm civet droppings, has recently gained worldwide notoriety – known as “civet coffee or weasel coffee”. But is this form of kopi considered halal? Ultimately yes but some considerations must be taken into account before purchasing such products.

Those interested in making kopi luwak can use coffee beans that undergo an extraordinary process: these beans are partially digested as they pass through the digestive tract of an Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphrodites), after being excreted and defecated they are then collected, washed and collected again for roasting and grinding to create a less acidic cup with distinctive flavors and aromas.

While kopi luwak coffee is indeed halal, its consumption should be done so with caution. Civets used to collect its beans are endangered species that must remain free from harm; furthermore, wild-caught civets often end up at live animal markets where they could become exposed to disease or stress that could potentially pose serious health problems for them.

Note that kopi luwak is not permissible if its beans are swallowed and excreted back into the environment by civets, as this would expose them to impurities from their stomach or intestines and render them forbidden and unlawful for consumption.

Mufti Mehmet Ebusud el-Imadi (may Allah grant him mercy) has explained that any substance which enters our bodies, but can then be expelled without becoming impure, remains pure – this rule applies to animals, plants and even objects like gold and stones.

Coffee produced using coffee made from civet droppings is well-renowned for its mild, non-acidic taste, with earthy tones and subtle hints of fruit or chocolate. Green Beans’ ethically sourced kopi luwak coffee from Indonesia adheres to sustainable farming practices to ensure high quality results.

We hope that this article has provided you with enough knowledge to gain a fuller appreciation of kopi luwak coffee production, its source and how halal it is. However, for optimal results we advise purchasing fair trade organic kopi luwak from companies who support sustainable farming and offer their farmers fair wages; doing so will reduce demand and the capture of endangered wild civets while helping improve farmers’ lives and families’ livelihoods.