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:

In view of the present "Qaraquli" trade, wherein (premature) lamb is surgically delivered before full term and killed for the sake of fleece, is it permissible to wear Qaraquli cap? 

(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:

Is it permissible to wear Qaraquli caps

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.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 3:

3        Forbidden to you (for food) are: flesh of dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that (food) on which hath been invoked the name of anyone other than Allah; that (animal) which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety.  This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me.  This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.  But if any forced by hunger with no inclination to transgression (consumes of that unlawful food), Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

The consumption of the meat of a dead animal (cow, goat or camel) is without any doubt whatsoever considered haraam for the believers, but there is no restrictions in Shariah for the skin to be used by them after appropriate treatment.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Muminoon verses 21-22:

21      And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example: from within their bodies We produce (milk) for you to drink; there are in them (besides) numerous (other) benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat;

22      And on them as well as in ships ye ride.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah Yaa Seen verses 71-73:

71      See they not that it is We Who have created for them among the things which Our Hands have fashioned: cattle, which are under their dominion?

72      And that We have subjected them to their (use)? Of them some do carry them and some they eat:

73      And they have (other) profits from them (besides); and they get (milk) to drink.  Will they not then be grateful?

The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that amongst the ‘other’ benefits of animals as related in the Glorious Quran imply the usage of their skins, fur, wool, hair, etc.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.15

Purifying the skin of dead animals

Tanning purifies the skin and the fur of a dead animal. This is based on the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, in which the Prophet (saws) said, "If the animal's skin is tanned, it is purified."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Sunan of Abu-DawoodHadith 659    Narrated by Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to pray on a mat and on a tanned skin.

If a pregnant goat is sacrificed Islamically (zabhiya) then all the meat of the goat including the premature lamb is halal for the believers. In this case the skin/fleece of the lamb can also be used after proper treatment to make Qaraquli caps etc..

If the lamb is removed prematurely through surgery and the skin/fleece is used to make Qaraquli caps, there is no restrictions in Shariah to wear the same.

The scholars and jurists in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that the tanned skin of all animals (except the swine and the dog) is considered absolutely pure for the believers to wear or use as they will.

There is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars regarding the usage of swine and dog skins. Amongst the four major schools of thought Imam Maalik and Imam Abu Hanifah say the hadith regarding the purification of the skin when tanned (quoted above) is general without any exception; thus the tanned skin of even the swine or dog too would be considered pure. But Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Imam Shafei are of the opinion that the swine and the dog have been declared ‘najis’ (absolutely impure) in its entirety, and thus even if its skin is tanned it would not be considered pure. But other than the skins of the swine and the dog, the tanned skin of every other animal (land, sea, or air) is absolutely pure and permissible for the believers to wear or use as they please. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Except for the skins of pigs and dogs wherein there are differences between some schools of thought all other animal skins can be used by the believers after proper treatment.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

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