CHAPTER 41 – Hadiths Concerning the Skin of a Dead Animal
Meymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) related: A sheep was gifted as charity to our freed slave girl. The sheep died. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) came across the carcass of the sheep and said, “Have its skin tanned and derive benefit from it.” They said, "O Messenger of Allah, this is carrion." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Only its meat is not eaten.” (But its hide may be used.)
A preceding hadith has also been transmitted through another chain of narration from Zuhri, in which Zuhri did not mention Maymun. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Would that you derived benefit from its hide,” and then narrated the meaning of the preceding hadith. However, he did not mention tanning.
Ma'mar said: Zuhri rejected tanning and maintained that leather could be utilized in every circumstance.
Abu Dawud said:
Awza’i, Yunus, and Uqail did not mention tanning in the hadith narrated by Zuhri.
Said ibn ‘Abd al-Aziz and Hafs ibn Walid mentioned tanning.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say:
"When leather is tanned, it is certainly purified."
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) related:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) permitted benefit from the hides of dead animals when they are tanned.
It is narrated by Seleme bin Muhabbik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) visited a house during the expedition to Tabuk. There hung a waterskin. He asked for water, and the companions said, “O Messenger of Allah, this waterskin is made from the skin of a dead animal.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The tanning [of the hide] is purification."
Ummü Aliya bintu Subayyah, may Allah be pleased with her, related:
I had sheep in the area of Uhud, and they died. I went to Maymuna, the wife of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and told her about my sheep dying. Maymuna said to me, "Take their skins and benefit from them." Aliya asked, “Are their skins permissible?” Maymuna replied, “Yes.” Then she continued: A group of men from the Quraysh were dragging their dead sheep by the feet, as if they were riding camels, when they met the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to them, "Why didn't you take their skins?" They said, “They died without being slaughtered.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Water and mazī cleanse it.”
Note: *Mazī*: A reddish substance the size of a walnut found in oak trees. It is used in tanning leather.