Question
Reference number: 372373 | Slaughtered Animals, Sacrifice, Birth Sacrifices, Hunting | March 18, 2023
What is the ruling if pig fat touches my clothes at my place of work?
Answer
To begin with, the majority of scholars among the Hanafi, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali schools hold that all parts of the pig—including its meat and fat—are impure (najis). This differs from the well-known position of the Maliki school, which holds that the pig itself is not impure, and that what is prohibited is eating its meat.
Among the primary Qur’anic evidences cited by the majority of scholars is Allah’s saying:
"Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to eat except carrion, running blood, swine—which is impure—or a sinful offering in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—then surely your Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
The term rijs (رجس) in this verse is understood to mean impurity (najasah).
Therefore, you should clean the area of your clothing that came into contact with the pig fat three times, following the position of the majority of scholars and avoiding the area of disagreement among the schools. This also ensures an additional degree of cleanliness for the clothing.
