halal soaps

[Walid]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

I have just read here that most soaps contain animal fats. I wasnt aware that my regular soap was haram, does this mean my salaah is now makruh ?

Also what if someone has to use a certain type of soap for a skin condition, what does the shariah say then ?

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem,

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu



All Praise be to Allah the Almighty, who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings and Greetings be showered upon His Final Messenger, the Last Beloved Prophet of Islam Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam)


Jazak-Allah for your concerned question. If most soaps contain animal fat, then we should only use those soaps which contain vegetarian extract, or contain halal products. Any soaps that contain animal fat are haram to use, therefore any use of them should be prevented.


The Qur'an al kareem states:

'Hurrimat 'alaykum ul mytatu wad dammu wa lahm al khinzir' (Ma'idah, 5, 3)

'We have made haram upon you, the dead, the blood of an animal, and the meat of the swine'

and also:

'innama harrama 'alaykum ul maytata wad damma wa lahm al khinziri'

'He has only forbidden these to you carrion, blood and the flesh of the swine'. (Baqarah, 2, 173) (Nahl, 16, 115).

These verses show us that any animal that has been lifeless, except that which is slaughtered in Allah's name, is haram. Any extract use from such animals will also be made haram. Those people who had used animal fat cotained in their soap, but was not aware of the fact that their soap was haram, have not the obligation of repeating their salah, as ignorance towards the validity, of a product constitutes no understanding towards its permissability, and in such a case, the said prayers will remain valid, until the misuse of the haram product.


The best solution is to stop any use of such soaps, and to prevent their use in the future. In cases where you have no alternative, as in the case for skin conditions, then normally the Muslim doctors, or surgeons can have the situation explained, that, our religion does not allow for us to use soaps that contain animal fats, is it therefore possible to prescribe me with some other form of medication? I am sure that you will find doctors a little more sympathetic towards such an issue.


The shar'iyyah, becomes very flexible in cases where a persons life is concerned. Examples that can be thought of, is the drinking or eating of haram substances where for example ones life is at stake, in the case of scarcity of food. But the use of soap, is a somewhat luxury, and its use in medical situations can constitute an alternative remedy, that is not haram.


May Allah the Almighty prevent us all from having to face situations where our lives are at risk, and may He ordain for us, that which is halal, and prevent us from the use of any haram material. (Amin).



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi