Fatwa ID: 08634

 

 

Answered by Alimah Humairah Badshah

 

Question:

 

I am working in the medical field and I want to go on a training course for learning surgery techniques. I need to know the techniques in this course to be able to treat my patients well, as I was not taught this knowledge in university much. However the organisers use pigs’ heads for demonstration and for the learners to operate on.

 

There is another course available without the pigs heads being used, but from what I heard it is not as good and I want to learn from the best courses so I can treat my patients well. I don’t think the pigs are killed specifically for this course; rather I think they go and buy pigs heads at the butcher’s as this probably wouldn’t be bought by the non Muslims for eating anyways. Can I attend this course?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

 

Answer:

 

There is nothing wrong with butchering or dissecting a dead animal for useful purposes, such as medical education. Since the animal is not being consumed, worn, etc, there is nothing wrong with the act of dissection if the animal in question is a pig.

 

However, since it is not permissible for a Muslim to buy pigs, one should make sure that one is not personally involved in any pig-based transaction. Due to this, if there is an available course which does not involve pigs which is suitable for your needs, it may be preferable for you to take this course in order to not be even tangentially related to a pig-based transaction.

 

Additionally, the body of a pig is impure, so one should make sure to avoid touching the pig if possible, and if not wear disposable gloves and wash any body part or article of clothing which comes into contact with the pig body.

 

 

References:

 

وَيَجُوزُ بَيْعُ جَمِيعِ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ سِوَى الْخِنْزِيرِ وَهُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ كَذَا فِي جَوَاهِرِ الْأَخْلَاطِيِّ

 

Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.3 p.144

 

وَأَمَّا) الْخِنْزِيرُ: فَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ أَنَّهُ نَجِسُ الْعَيْنِ، لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى وَصَفَهُ بِكَوْنِهِ رِجْسًا فَيَحْرُمُ اسْتِعْمَالُ شَعْرِهِ وَسَائِرِ أَجْزَائِهِ، إلَّا أَنَّهُ رَخَّصَ فِي شَعْرِهِ لِلْخَرَّازِينَ لِلضَّرُورَةِ

 

وَرُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ فِي غَيْرِ رِوَايَةِ الْأُصُولِ أَنَّهُ كَرِهَ ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا نَصًّا وَلَا يَجُوزُ بَيْعُهَا فِي الرِّوَايَاتِ كُلِّهَا، وَلَوْ وَقَعَ شَعْرُهُ فِي الْمَاءِ الْقَلِيلِ، رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ أَنَّهُ يُنَجِّسُ الْمَاءَ، وَعَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ أَنَّهُ لَا يُنَجِّسُ مَا لَمْ يَغْلِبْ عَلَى الْمَاءِ كَشَعْرِ غَيْرِهِ

وَرُوِيَ عَنْ أَصْحَابِنَا فِي غَيْرِ رِوَايَةِ الْأُصُولِ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْأَجْزَاءَ مِنْهُ طَاهِرَةٌ؛ لِانْعِدَامِ الدَّمِ فِيهَا، وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّهَا نَجِسَةٌ؛ لِأَنَّ نَجَاسَةَ الْخِنْزِيرِ لَيْسَتْ لِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ الدَّمِ وَالرُّطُوبَةِ بَلْ لَعَيْنِهِ

 

Badaai’ Al-Sanaai’ (Daar Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.63

 

وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّ جِلْدَ الْخِنْزِيرِ لَا يَطْهُرُ بِالدِّبَاغِ؛ لِأَنَّ نَجَاسَتَهُ لَيْسَتْ لِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ الدَّمِ وَالرُّطُوبَةِ بَلْ هُوَ نَجِسُ الْعَيْنِ، فَكَانَ وُجُودُ الدِّبَاغِ – فِي حَقِّهِ – وَالْعَدَمُ بِمَنْزِلَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ

 

Badaai’ Al-Sanaai’ (Daar Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.86

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Humairah Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham