Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. 

It is prohibited for Muslims to use the leather of dead animals that are not slaughtered in the Islamic, Christian or Jewish way i.e. cutting the jugglery and throat. The leather of all impure animals pigs, dogs…etc. is forbidden because of the impurity of the animals themselves. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maytatah (the dead animals - cattle-beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and the meat of that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allâh,}[5: 3].

But this rule changes when the leather of the dead or impure animal is tanned. There is a disagreement among the scholars over this issue. But what is more preponderant and what is supported by the evidence is that the tanned leather is pure no matter what its origin is. The Prophet said: "If the animal's skin is tanned, it is purified". [Muslim]. This Hadeeth is a sound evidence that tanning makes the leather of the forbidden animals pure and then lawful.

So, we believe that it is lawful for Muslims to use all tanned leather regardless of its origin. However, it is safer and more suitable to avoid pig leather as most of the scholars believe that it does not become pure by tanning and the Prophet said: "Leave what causes you doubt and turn to what does not cause you doubt. Truth is tranquillity, but falsehood is doubt." Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it, and Darimi transmitted the first part. 
 

Share: