Is It Permissible to Work and Deal with Pig Leather?

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr

Question 

I work at a leather shoe shop as a salesperson and am interested in applying for a cobbler position. However, I have a few questions regarding working with pig leather in both positions.

As a salesperson, are shoes made from pig leather considered pure as long as they remain dry? I currently wear gloves when handling these shoes.

Is it permissible for me to sell or market these shoes? Would the income I earn from selling them be halal? If I see Muslim customers, I inform them that the shoes are made from pig leather.

If I become a cobbler, I would be required to use the materials provided by my employer. Would it be permissible for me to repair and make shoes using those materials if they include pig leather?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

May Allah reward you for taking care to ensure that your vocation aligns with Islamic Law.

The Prophet was asked, “Which earnings are the purest?” He replied, “A man’s work with his hands” [Musnad Ahmad]. It is lovely to hear that Muslims are pursuing and developing this craft.

Pig leather is considered intrinsically impure, regardless of whether it is dry or wet. However, the impurity is only transferred if either the pig leather or the surface with which it comes into contact is wet. [Khatib, Mughni al-Muhtaj]

It is not permissible to market or sell these shoes. The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) prohibited taking payment for dogs, and scholars have extended this ruling to pigs. [Muslim]

Commenting on this narration, Imam Nawawi states, “And since it is among the worst forms of earnings and is impure, this indicates that selling it is prohibited, that its sale is invalid, and that its price is not lawful.” [Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]

It is not permissible for you to use pig leather to make or repair shoes.

When you become a cobbler, explore whether your employer can assign you to work involving permissible materials, or consider other opportunities within the craft that allow you to earn a halal livelihood.

These restrictions are designed to protect and help us grow. Your concern to earn a halal income is praiseworthy, and Allah is the Best of providers.

And with Allah alone is our success.

[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Muhammad Carr has dedicated his life to studying and transmitting our beautiful deen. His studies have taken him around the globe, where he has benefitted from many luminaries. Under the guidance of his teachers – Shaykh Taha Karan, Shaykh Yaseen Abbas, Shaykh Muadh Ali and many others – Shaykh Muhammad has grown to appreciate the beauty and benefits of diverse scholarship. He completed his memorization of the Qur’an at Dar al-Ulum Zakariyyah in September 1997 and received an Alimiyya Degree in 2006 from DUAI (Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah). He is also affiliated with Masjid Auwal in Bo Kaap, Cape Town (the oldest mosque in South Africa), where he serves as a co-imam, and Dar Al-Safa, where he has taught since 2018. As a teacher, he imparts the wisdom of our heritage and tradition by opening the door for students. As an imam, he has the unique opportunity to serve his community in daily life. 

In addition to his roles as a teacher and imam, Shaykh Muhammad Carr has contributed significantly to the administrative and advisory aspects of Islamic institutions. Since 2023, he has served as the Administrative Director at The Imam Kurani Institute, contributing to the institution’s growth and development. He continues to pursue traditional Islamic Sciences, possessing a keen interest in Islamic Contract Law and Finance. Shaykh Muhammad has been a Shari’ah Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.