Islam emphasizes cleanliness, so food and beverage items must meet stringent halal standards. Is kopi luwak (civet coffee) permissible under these rules? Its unique origin comes from beans excreted by Asian palm civet cats which are then collected, washed, and roasted into an expensive beverage that sells for more than $200 per pound – its unique journey through an animal digestive tract gives its unique flavor, yet raises questions over whether these beans qualify as halal.

Islamic scholars have provided differing opinions on this subject. Some contend that food coming into contact with fecal material becomes irreparably polluted, while others maintain that as long as physical impurities can be removed by washing, food can still be considered halal. Producers of kopi luwak insist extensive washing and roasting processes remove any bacteria or physical impurities present in the beans to make their product halal-compliant.

Devout Muslims frequently rely on religious authorities’ fatwas or religious edicts when making decisions, and Indonesia’s Ulema Council, which governs its Muslim population, issued an edict regarding kopi luwak that stated its beans are only considered halal if they have been washed clean of impurities such as “najis (impurities).”