Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

can a muslim kill any insect or cockroach after performing ablution?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Kill insect pest

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Prophet (saws) said: "Kill the snake and the scorpion, (even) during the salah."

Related by Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.531 Narrated by Aisha

The Prophet (saws) said, "Five kinds of animals are mischief-doers, and can be killed even in the Sacred Mosque: They are the rat, the scorpion, the kite, the crow and the rabid dog."

In light of the above authentic narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws), the scholars are unanimous in their opinion that there is no sin if one kills a pest, or a insect, or a dangerous animal when one fears it may harm human being, or their health, or their property, or their domestic animals.

The killing of a pest has absolutely no bearing to the state or validity of one’s ablution; thus the killing of a pest does not invalidate one’s ablution in any way whatsoever.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan