What is the ruling on treating with the oil of the monitor lizard, which is an animal resembling the monitor lizard?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah forgive you, what is the ruling on treating with the oil of the monitor lizard?
The Shaykh : First, who hunts the monitor lizard?
The questioner : It is easy.
The Shaykh : Easy?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Fine, and has it been mentioned in the Qur'an or established by experience that its oil is beneficial?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Fine, then there is nothing wrong with it, but if you want to pray, wash it off.
So if someone says: "Allah did not make the healing of this Ummah in what He has forbidden," we say: Allah has not forbidden us to anoint ourselves with it; He has forbidden us to eat it or drink its oil or the like. As for rubbing it on our bodies, and we have tried it and it has been beneficial, there is nothing wrong with it, but when praying, one must purify oneself from it.
The questioner : Do you know what the monitor lizard is?
The Shaykh : The monitor lizard is a creature they say is vicious; it bites people, and I do not know if it kills them or just causes them pain. Yes, tell your brothers about the monitor lizard.
The questioner : Is it the monitor lizard?
The Shaykh : No, it is not the monitor lizard. Let him speak.
The questioner : The monitor lizard is a beast similar to the monitor lizard, but people dislike it, and it is not eaten, or it is also considered ritually impure.
The Shaykh : No, that is wrong. People dislike it. Some people dislike the monitor lizard, and some dislike locusts. People's dislike is not a reason for prohibition. For this reason, some Bedouins eat everything that moves except the beetle. For this reason, some people congratulate the beetle, saying: "Congratulations to it, for the Arabs do not permit it, so they do not kill it." I heard that this monitor lizard is vicious; it attacks people and bites them, and it cannot be released until it has torn off flesh. Yes?
The questioner : It suckles livestock.
The Shaykh : It suckles livestock as well?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is also a problem; this is theft. In any case, it is a vile creature. Yes.
The Shaykh : First, who hunts the monitor lizard?
The questioner : It is easy.
The Shaykh : Easy?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Fine, and has it been mentioned in the Qur'an or established by experience that its oil is beneficial?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Fine, then there is nothing wrong with it, but if you want to pray, wash it off.
So if someone says: "Allah did not make the healing of this Ummah in what He has forbidden," we say: Allah has not forbidden us to anoint ourselves with it; He has forbidden us to eat it or drink its oil or the like. As for rubbing it on our bodies, and we have tried it and it has been beneficial, there is nothing wrong with it, but when praying, one must purify oneself from it.
The questioner : Do you know what the monitor lizard is?
The Shaykh : The monitor lizard is a creature they say is vicious; it bites people, and I do not know if it kills them or just causes them pain. Yes, tell your brothers about the monitor lizard.
The questioner : Is it the monitor lizard?
The Shaykh : No, it is not the monitor lizard. Let him speak.
The questioner : The monitor lizard is a beast similar to the monitor lizard, but people dislike it, and it is not eaten, or it is also considered ritually impure.
The Shaykh : No, that is wrong. People dislike it. Some people dislike the monitor lizard, and some dislike locusts. People's dislike is not a reason for prohibition. For this reason, some Bedouins eat everything that moves except the beetle. For this reason, some people congratulate the beetle, saying: "Congratulations to it, for the Arabs do not permit it, so they do not kill it." I heard that this monitor lizard is vicious; it attacks people and bites them, and it cannot be released until it has torn off flesh. Yes?
The questioner : It suckles livestock.
The Shaykh : It suckles livestock as well?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is also a problem; this is theft. In any case, it is a vile creature. Yes.