Ruling on Killing Harmful Insects with Fire

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Regarding the insects found in the house, such as ants, cockroaches, and the like, is it permissible to kill them with water or by burning them? And if it is not permissible, what should we do?
Answer: These insects, if they cause harm, are to be killed, but not with fire. They are to be killed with pesticides other than fire; since they cause harm, there is no harm in doing so. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

Five of the animals are all *fawasiq*, and they are killed in the sacred and non-sacred areas: the crow, the kite, the rat, the biting dog, and the scorpion

خمس من الدواب كلهن فواسق، يقتلن في الحل والحرم: الغراب والحدأة والفأرة والكلب العقور والعقرب

, and in the other wording:

and the snake

والحية

the sixth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us of their harm, describing them as *fawasiq*, meaning: harmful. They have departed from the nature of their counterparts, which is to be non-harmful, whereas these are harmful. Therefore, he said:

which may be killed out and inside the Haram: Crows, kites, vicious dogs, scorpions and mice.

يقتلن في الحل والحرم: الغراب والحدأة والفأرة والعقرب والكلب العقور

Sunan an-Nasa'i 2881Sahih (Darussalam)

, and likewise: (the snake), as in the other narration in Muslim. The point is that these and their like are to be killed in both the sacred and non-sacred areas. If harm is found from others, such as ants, if they cause harm, they are killed, or cockroaches are killed, or beetles, or others; whatever causes harm is killed. Yes, but with pesticides, not with fire. Yes.
The presenter: Not with fire?
The Shaykh: Yes.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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