Kopi Luwak (or “civet coffee”), from Indonesia is an exquisite drink known for its distinctive, smooth flavors and aromas. Produced using beans eaten and excreted by Asian palm civets known as Luwaks, its unusual journey through their digestive systems results in coffee known for its distinctive tastes, scents and aromas – an experience believed to promote good health benefits as well.

At issue for Muslims is whether kopi luwak can be considered halal, or permissible. The answer depends on Islamic dietary laws and how they deal with contamination – some scholars hold that once food comes into contact with feces it becomes spiritually impure; other authorities maintain physical dirtiness can be washed away completely.

According to the Indonesian Ulema Council, an alliance of Muslim religious leaders, kopi luwak is permissible if its beans have been washed thoroughly prior to sale and roasting. Civet coffee extracted from cat droppings can also be consumed provided its beans have been thoroughly washed before being sold or roasted.

The ulema also stated that coffee beans must be washed before export, in order to remove any impurities such as najis or luwaks (civet cats that select only the highest-grade cherries and coffee beans to consume before excreting them through their droppings).

Coffee from Indonesia’s coffee-producing islands – Java and Sumatra in particular – has long been prized as an expensive, rare and delicious commodity, fetching prices as high as $400 per pound online. While mostly produced on those two islands, it can also be found across Southeast Asia under different names.