My doctor gave me some medicine. Later did I realise the capsule contains gelatine. Can I eat it or shall I just dispose of it?

The capsule itself is made of gelatin. Gelatin is easily dissolved in your stomach.

Assalaam alaikum PChic,
If there is an alternative medication to the one the Doctor prescribed, you could request your doctor about changing it.

If this medication is necessary for your well being and the doctor thinks there is no alternative,then you may take the medication.
Allah knows best.

And if you could take the medication without swallowing the capsule even more better,but always ask the Doctor if it is safe for you to do this.

Wa alaikum salaam

As far as the Islamic ruling on gelatin is concerned, Dr. Su`aad Salih, professor of Fiqh at Al-Azhar Univ. gives the following :

“Gelatin is a brittle substance extracted by boiling bones, hoofs, and animal tissues. So it depends on the animal itself. If it is an animal whose meat is Halal, such as cow, camel, sheep and so on, then gelatin is Halal, and so is the case with all foods prepared from it. However, if the animal is of Haram meat such as pigs, then the gelatin made of it is unlawful.

Thus, gelatin is Halal unless it is derived from an animal whose meat is Haram to consume. This is the ruling on gelatin extracted from animals. As for vegetable and artificial gelatin, they are Halal and there is nothing wrong in eating and using them.”

As for gelatin extracted from animals that have not been slaughtered according to Shari`ah, Sheikh `Abdus-Sattar F. Sa`eed, Professor of the Exegesis of the Qur'an at Al-Azhar Univ. gives the following:

“If the animal is slaughtered by one of the People of the Scripture, or if the butcher is unknown, then the meat is Halal and the gelatin is Halal too. However, if the animal is slaughtered by means of electric shock, suffocation, and other unlawful ways, then the meat is Haram and gelatin is Haram too, because it is a product of that unlawful animal.”

Allah Almighty knows best.

Ask your doctor what the gelatine is made of and if its not haram try to ask if he can change the substance of the medicine into powder. You can put the powder in seaweed and make a ball from it so you can swallow it. Agar-agar is also a sort of gelatine but made of Indonesian seaweed.

Selamat!