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Fatwa CenterTreatment of animals - pigs
Question
To my understanding we are supposed to show affection towards animals. What is the case with pigs? In some areas in India people bring pigs and keep them in the locality so they eat the dirt and keep the locality clean. Should we kill them? Or take them to another place? In general what should be the treatment of pigs?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
It is absolutely not permissible to domesticate (tame) pigs. There is a difference of opinion among scholars whether it is a Wajib (obligation) or permissible to kill pigs if they show enmity towards men or harm people.
Some scholars say that it is an obligation (Wajib) to kill them whether they show any enmity towards people or not.
Some other scholars say that it is permissible to kill them if they do not show any enmity towards people.
The author of Al Majmu’ writes: 'It is not permissible to domesticate pigs whether they show any enmity towards people or not. However, if they do show any enmity, it becomes an obligation to kill them. In this regard there are two positions: One is that it is an obligation to kill them and the second position is that it is permissible either to kill them or to set them free.' This is what could be concluded from the text of Shafi’e.
In Al Furou’ of Hambali school of thought, the scholars of this Madhab said: ‘It is forbidden to domesticate pigs or benefit from them, and nobody said that it is obligatory (Wajib) to kill them.' However, Abu Talib said that it is acceptable to kill them.
In Tarh Al-Tathrib, the author said when quoting the Hadith "The son of Maryam is about to descend amongst you as a correct ruler, he will break the cross and kill the pig" he said, Al Nawawi said: 'In this Hadith there is an evidence about what is preferred in our school of thought and the opinion of the majority of scholars is that if we find a pig in Kafir countries or other countries, and we can kill it, we will do that.'
Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to tame a pig or benefit from it; he can kill it if it does not belong to a free non-Muslim in a Muslim country, and if it belongs to him (the non-Muslim) and he kills it he has to pay its value, according to the opinion of some of the people of knowledge.
In Majmou’ Al Dhamanat of the Hanafi Madhab: 'If a Muslim seizes alcohol or a pig of a free non-Muslim in a Muslim country and spoils it, then he has to pay the value of that'.
Allah knows best.
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