The Ruling on Wearing a Coat Made from Pigskin

Question

Recently some brothers have argued about coats made from animal skin. Some brothers point out that coats are normally made from pigskin. Supposing this to be correct, can we wear such coats? Some books like "Al-Halal wal-Haram fil-Islam" by Yusuf Al-Qardhawi and "The Religion Based on the Four Schools" deal with this issue, but in a way that is not clear and that leads to no definite conclusion.


Answer

It is confirmed that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

"When the hide is tanned it has been purified." (Muslim no. 366)

He (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) also said:

"Tanning the dead animal's skin purifies it." (Ibn Hibban no. 123 and An-Nasa'i no. 7/174 no. 4249)

The scholars have differed in this matter. Does this apply to the skin of all animals or is it specific to the skins of the dead animals that are lawful to slaughter? There is no doubt that the skins of dead animals which are lawful to slaughter are purified by tanning. This applies to camels, cattle, goats, etc. So it is allowed to use them for any means according to the most correct saying of the people of knowledge. As for the skin of a pig, a dog or anything else that is not lawful to slaughter, then there is a disagreement among the scholars on whether it becomes pure to tanning. The most careful approach is to avoid wearing their skins, in application of the Prophet's (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) saying:

"Whoever avoids the doubtful matters, he has absolved himself (from wrongdoing) in his religion and in his honor." (Muslim no. 1599)

And because of his (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) saying:

"Leave what makes you doubt to what doesn't make you doubt." (At-Tirmidhi no. 2518 and An-Nasa'i no. 5114)

Shaikh ibn Baz (Rahimahullah)

Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 7 Pages 382-383