I would like to take a vitamin supplement which has been derived from sheep wool. Would this be

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

Although some wool is harvested from sheep after slaughter, the common industry practice is to shear wool from sheep while they are alive.

“The fleece of sheep raised for wool is generally shorn once yearly, in the spring or early summer…The fleece is cut close to the skin, usually with mechanical shears, and removed in one piece…Small amounts of wool come from the skins of lambs slaughtered for meat.” (MSN Encarta;
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761560402) 

Regardless of whether the wool is harvested whilst the sheep are dead or alive, many text on fiqh mention seven parts of an animal to be haram, and the wool or skin are not mentioned as part of these. (Hashiya Ibn ‘Abidin; Vol. 6, p. 749)

In his tafsir Ma`ariful Quran, Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:

“The Majestic Qur’an, in verse (16:80)

وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا أَثَاثًا وَمَتَاعًا إِلَى حِينٍ

has permitted the use of hair of such animals in an absolute sense. The condition of slaughter is not there. (Jassas)” (Ma`ariful Quran; English Vol. 1, p. 427)

Although the permissibility or impermissibility of rennet is a separate issue, a Dar al-Ulum Karachi fatwa on rennet states:

“The reason being that the lawfulness of rennet does not depend upon the slaughterer being a Muslim or non-Muslim, in fact it depends upon whether there is life in it or not. If there is no life in rennet then death cannot occur because life and death are opposites. The circulation of blood in an organ is the cause of life.” (Register of the Fatawa Dar al-Ulum Karachi; No. 175 23A, 11/3/1415)

There is no blood circulation in sheep wool, and as such, there is no life in it. Thus, it is pure and the vitamins or other nutrients extracted from it are halal, regardless of whether or not the sheep was slaughtered according to Islamic rites.

The same also applies to L-cysteine sourced from chicken and duck feathers.

It should also be noted that proper slaughter (of halal animals) according to Islamic rites is a pre-requisite only for the consumption of meat, fat, and other internal parts, all of which come in contact with blood and other impurities inside the body.

Verily, Allah knows best.

Sikander Ziad Hashmi