What is the ruling on benefiting from the oil that came out of a press in which a mouse was found in its basin?
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The Shaykh : Anyone else?
The questioner : The last question you allow us to discuss, which we debated before coming here.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : A man has an oil press. He pressed the oil, and when he poured it into the jars, he looked and saw a large mouse—may Allah protect you—had been thrown under the press from the very oil that was pressed. He was confused about whether it was from the jars or from inside the press. So, should he destroy the jars, or sell the oil as it is, or what should he do to clarify this matter?
The Shaykh : The answer, in my opinion, is clear and apparent, and the matter is easy, if Allah wills. But I want to understand: you distinguished between one thing and another, and that did not appear clear to me. Repeat the scenario for me.
The questioner : A man has a press. After he pressed the oil and poured it into the jars, it became clear that there was a mouse filled with oil.
The Shaykh : Where was this mouse found?
The questioner : Underneath, inside the press, but not inside it from the interior; it was on the iron innards of it.
The student : Meaning it was pressed along with the oil.
The questioner : The press itself has large openings at the bottom, so even if you put your hand in the press, it will not press unless it comes, for example, from the door of the containers.
The Shaykh : The point, Professor, is that this mouse was in the basin where the oil is, and that means that when the oil is pressed and poured into this basin, there is contact between it and the mouse, correct?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It no longer matters to us now where the mouse is located; the important thing is that there was contact between the oil in the press and this mouse. Correct?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Listen to me for a moment. And from this basin, you emptied it into the skins, okay?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Or the tanks or something like that.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, what is the question now?
The questioner : Is this oil ritually impure?
The Shaykh : The answer: The ruling on this oil and anyAnother questioner : ruling on water in which impurity has fallen, namely: if one of its three characteristics changes—color, taste, or smell—then this oil is ritually impure and it is not permissible to sell it, even for oiling wood or the like, because it is ritually impure, so its sale and purchase and the like are forbidden. And if none of its three characteristics has changed, then it is pure and clear, and he may sell it, eat it, and cook with it whatever he wishes. This is the answer.
The questioner : We read in the book of Asceticism by Ahmad ibn Hanbal this story that one of the Tabi'un or one of the Companions, after pressing his oil, found a mouse filled with oil, so he poured out all the jars. Is this in this chapter?
The Shaykh : This is cold asceticism.
The questioner : Cold asceticism?
The Shaykh : Yes, why?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Because he wasted lawful wealth.
The questioner : My Lord, Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. In the name of Allah.
The questioner : Then, Shaykh, if you please, the question is not like this. The brother mentions that, for example, he returned after finishing pressing the oil.
The Shaykh : Take your time.
The questioner: Go ahead.
The Shaykh : You say the story is not like this?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, in any case, he received the answer according to the story he told us.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Tell us your story so we can see.
The questioner : He found a mouse on the floor of the press, meaning submerged in oil, so he said: Where did the oil reach this mouse? It must have been, for example, in the jars. It must have, for example, fallen in and then, for example, been taken out. He doubted that it was in the oil because he found it on the floor of the press, in the press room, so he doubted that it was present there and then taken out.
The student : Even if he doubted, if the oil did not change, it is finished.
The Shaykh : Allow me, [Shaykh]. I am asking you now: Is the story according to the first narration more dangerous and difficult, or with the other narration?
The questioner : With the first narration, of course.
The Shaykh : So then.
The student : May Allah guide you...
The questioner : The last question you allow us to discuss, which we debated before coming here.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : A man has an oil press. He pressed the oil, and when he poured it into the jars, he looked and saw a large mouse—may Allah protect you—had been thrown under the press from the very oil that was pressed. He was confused about whether it was from the jars or from inside the press. So, should he destroy the jars, or sell the oil as it is, or what should he do to clarify this matter?
The Shaykh : The answer, in my opinion, is clear and apparent, and the matter is easy, if Allah wills. But I want to understand: you distinguished between one thing and another, and that did not appear clear to me. Repeat the scenario for me.
The questioner : A man has a press. After he pressed the oil and poured it into the jars, it became clear that there was a mouse filled with oil.
The Shaykh : Where was this mouse found?
The questioner : Underneath, inside the press, but not inside it from the interior; it was on the iron innards of it.
The student : Meaning it was pressed along with the oil.
The questioner : The press itself has large openings at the bottom, so even if you put your hand in the press, it will not press unless it comes, for example, from the door of the containers.
The Shaykh : The point, Professor, is that this mouse was in the basin where the oil is, and that means that when the oil is pressed and poured into this basin, there is contact between it and the mouse, correct?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It no longer matters to us now where the mouse is located; the important thing is that there was contact between the oil in the press and this mouse. Correct?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Listen to me for a moment. And from this basin, you emptied it into the skins, okay?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Or the tanks or something like that.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, what is the question now?
The questioner : Is this oil ritually impure?
The Shaykh : The answer: The ruling on this oil and anyAnother questioner : ruling on water in which impurity has fallen, namely: if one of its three characteristics changes—color, taste, or smell—then this oil is ritually impure and it is not permissible to sell it, even for oiling wood or the like, because it is ritually impure, so its sale and purchase and the like are forbidden. And if none of its three characteristics has changed, then it is pure and clear, and he may sell it, eat it, and cook with it whatever he wishes. This is the answer.
The questioner : We read in the book of Asceticism by Ahmad ibn Hanbal this story that one of the Tabi'un or one of the Companions, after pressing his oil, found a mouse filled with oil, so he poured out all the jars. Is this in this chapter?
The Shaykh : This is cold asceticism.
The questioner : Cold asceticism?
The Shaykh : Yes, why?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Because he wasted lawful wealth.
The questioner : My Lord, Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. In the name of Allah.
The questioner : Then, Shaykh, if you please, the question is not like this. The brother mentions that, for example, he returned after finishing pressing the oil.
The Shaykh : Take your time.
The questioner: Go ahead.
The Shaykh : You say the story is not like this?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, in any case, he received the answer according to the story he told us.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Tell us your story so we can see.
The questioner : He found a mouse on the floor of the press, meaning submerged in oil, so he said: Where did the oil reach this mouse? It must have been, for example, in the jars. It must have, for example, fallen in and then, for example, been taken out. He doubted that it was in the oil because he found it on the floor of the press, in the press room, so he doubted that it was present there and then taken out.
The student : Even if he doubted, if the oil did not change, it is finished.
The Shaykh : Allow me, [Shaykh]. I am asking you now: Is the story according to the first narration more dangerous and difficult, or with the other narration?
The questioner : With the first narration, of course.
The Shaykh : So then.
The student : May Allah guide you...
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.