Wearing shoes made of swine skin

Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta

Wearing shoes made of swine skin

Question

What is the ruling on wearing shoes made of swine skin?

Answer


It is established in Islamic law that it is prohibited to consume pork. Allah the Almighty says,He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. [Al-Baqarah: 173]

Just as Islamic law forbids consuming the flesh of swine, it likewise forbids selling swine or benefitting from it. Jabir Ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Verily Allah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of alcohol, dead animals, swine and idols." He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! What about the fat of dead animals? It is used for coating boats, varnishing hides and [as fuel] for lamps." The Messenger of Allah said, "No, it is forbidden." He then said, "May Allah the Exalted and Majestic destroy the Jews for Allah prohibited the use the fat of dead animals; they melted it, sold it and made use of the price [received from it].[1]

Ibn 'Abbas said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah sitting at the Rukn. He looked up at the sky, smiled and said, 'May Allah curse the Jews'—he repeated this thrice and then said, 'Allah made the fat [of dead animals] prohibited upon them, yet they sold it and consumed its price. And when Allah prohibits a community from eating something, He prohibits them from utilizing its price."[2]

The reason behind the prohibition of selling swine and benefitting from it according to the majority of scholars is because swine is impure in itself, whether dead or alive.
Maliki scholars have maintained that swine is pure when alive and impure when dead.

The ruling

Based on the above and in reference to the question, it is impermissible to wear shoes made from swine skin because it contradicts the Prophet's ordinance of the prohibition of selling swine and benefitting from it.
Allah the Almighty knows best.


[1]Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

[2]Narrated by Ahmed and Abu Dawud.

 
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