Explanation of the author's statement: "And it is permissible to use it after tanning in a dry state, if it is from an animal that is pure in life."

The Shaykh : Yes, he says "And it is permissible to use it after tanning in a dry state". It is permissible to use it—using what? The skin of a dead animal after tanning in a dry state. The author has informed us that using it before tanning is not permissible, neither in a dry state nor in a non-dry state, because it is impure. Its apparent meaning is also that it is not permissible even after the skin has dried and become dry. There is a point of consideration here where we say: if it is dry and used in a dry state, then the impurity here does not transfer, just as if we cut it and made it into ropes that do not come into contact with wet things; there is no objection to that. As for his statement "in a dry state after tanning", in a dry state, is it permissible in a wet state or not? It is not permissible in a wet state. That means it is not permissible to put water in it, even after tanning, nor to put milk in it, nor to put any wet thing in it. Why? Because if it is impure and water comes into contact with it, the water becomes impure by it. This water becomes impure by it. But if it is in a dry state and the skin is dry, it does not become impure by it, because the ruling of impurity does not transfer unless its effect transfers. If its effect does not transfer, then its ruling does not transfer. Therefore, among the common people, there is a true saying: they say "There is no impurity between two dry things". This means that if two impure things meet and both are dry, the impurity does not transfer to the pure thing. And his statement that it is permissible to use it after tanning in a dry state: the correct view, if we adopt the stronger and correct opinion, is that it becomes pure by tanning. In that case, it is permissible to use it in a dry state and in a wet state. Evidence for this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions performed ablution from the water skin of a polytheist woman. The slaughtered animals of polytheists are impure, yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions performed ablution from this water skin. This indicates that it is permissible to use it in a wet state because it becomes pure. The passive voice is used here for "use," but the pronoun in "use" refers to the use of the skin while it is from an animal that is pure in life. In that case, it is permissible to use it in a dry state. The author has informed us here that what is permissible to use after tanning in a dry state, if it is from an animal that is pure in life, is: First, every edible animal is pure in life, such as camels, cows, sheep, hyenas, and the like. Second, according to the school of thought, every animal that is smaller than a cat in creation is pure in life, such as the cat, which is pure in life, by the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) . Third, everything that does not have flowing blood, meaning everything that does not have blood that flows when slaughtered or killed, is pure. This is the pure animal. Fourth, the human being. But the human being is not applicable here, because using the skin of a human being is forbidden, not because of its impurity, but because of its sanctity. So, if a person tans the skin of a mouse or the skin of a cat, does it become pure according to the school of thought?

The questioner : Yes, it becomes pure.

The Shaykh : No, it does not become pure. There is nothing that becomes pure according to the school of thought, but it is permissible to use it in a dry state. And according to the second opinion, it becomes pure, so it is permissible to use it in dry things and liquids. It is clear that it is permissible to make the skin of a cat into a small water skin in a large water skin here, according to the second opinion, because it has become pure. So the point of disagreement now is on the animal that is pure in life. The skin of the animal that is pure in life—note this. This is one of the opinions in this issue: that the basis of the ruling is the purity of the animal in the state of life. So whatever is pure in life, it is permissible to use its skin after tanning in a dry state, and it does not become pure according to the school of thought. And according to the second opinion, it becomes pure. There is a third opinion that the skin of a dead animal becomes pure by tanning, but on the condition that the dead animal is of a type that is made lawful by slaughter, meaning that it is edible. As for what is not made lawful by slaughter, it does not become pure. This opinion is the stronger one. And on this basis, the skin of a cat and anything smaller than it in creation does not become pure. The evidence for this opinion is that in some wordings of the hadith , the term "slaughter" is used. It is known that slaughter does not purify except what is edible and whose eating is permissible. If you slaughtered a donkey and mentioned the name of Allah over it, and let the blood flow and cut the windpipe and the esophagus, it is called slaughter. So on this basis, we say that the skin of what is forbidden to eat, even if it is pure in life, does not become pure by tanning. This is the evidence. The evidence is . It also contains the reasoning that the animal pure in life was made pure due to the difficulty of guarding against it, by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) . And this cause remains after death and is not negated. It is negated. And on this basis, it returns to its original state, which is impurity, so it does not become pure by tanning. This opinion is the stronger one. And on this basis, the stronger opinion in this issue is that every animal that dies and is of a type that is edible, its skin becomes pure by tanning. The implication of this is the stronger opinion, and it is one of the opinions of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). He has a second opinion that agrees with the opinion we mentioned before, that whatever is pure in life, its skin becomes pure by tanning.