Praise be to Allah.
It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When (animal) skin is tanned, it becomes pure.” And he said, “Tanning the skin of a dead animal [i.e., one which has died of natural causes as opposed to being slaughtered] purifies it.” The scholars differed concerning this – does this hadeeth apply to all kinds of animal skins, or only the skins of animals which become halaal when slaughtered according to sharee’ah?
Undoubtedly it is permissible to use in any way the tanned skins of dead animals which become halaal when slaughtered according to sharee’ah, such as camels and cows, according to the most correct scholarly opinion. With regard to the skins of pigs, dogs and the like, which cannot be made halaal by slaughtering them in the manner prescribed in sharee’ah, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether they can be made pure by tanning. In order to be on the safe side, it is better not to use them, heeding the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “Whoever avoids doubtful matters, that will be better for his religious commitment and his honour.” And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.”
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