❖ 8 Shar'i Guidelines Regarding the Presence of Dung in the Home ❖
Taken from: Fatāwā ad-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Volume 1, Page 332
Some people claim that if dung (i.e., animal feces or droppings) is present in the house, angels do not enter such a house. Is this statement correct?
The notion that the presence of dung in a house prevents angels from entering is not found in any authentic or reliable Islamic book. Apparently, this statement is incorrect, because:
◈ The droppings and dung of animals whose meat is lawful to consume are considered pure.
◈ This issue has already been addressed in Issue No. 130.
◈ If something is pure, it cannot act as a hindrance for the arrival of angels.
However, it is true that angels prefer cleanliness and are averse to foul smells. (Translator's Note)
al-Hidāyah (4/468) states:
“In Kitāb al-Karīmah, it is mentioned that there is no harm in the sale of droppings.”
However, the sale of human waste (excrement) is disliked.
Fatḥ al-Qadīr (8/386) also affirms:
There is no harm in selling animal droppings.
It is narrated from Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ (رضي الله عنه) that he would have dung spread over his land and would say:
“It is the responsibility of the buyer to measure, not the seller.”
◈ In Arabic, the term ‘Ar al-Arḍ refers to placing manure or fertilizer into the land.
◈ ‘Al-ʿIrah specifically means animal dung.
In Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī (6/289), Imām al-Qurṭubī writes:
“There is unanimous consensus of the Muslim Ummah on the prohibition of selling blood and wine.”
From this, it is understood that substances like dung, human excrement, and other impurities, which are not lawful to consume, are prohibited from being sold.
Allah knows best.
Imām Mālik (رحمه الله):
He considered the sale of animal excrement (faeces) as disliked.
Ibn Qāsim:
He allowed it due to the benefit derived, though analogy supports the opinion of Imām Mālik.
Imām Shāfiʿī (رحمه الله):
He held a similar position.
A ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth supports that the sale of such substances is not permitted:
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه):
“It is prohibited to turn wine into vinegar and then sell it.”
al-Majmūʿ (9/230) states:
“The sale of excrement of lawful animals and pigeons is invalid, and its price is ḥarām. This is our view.”
Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (رحمه الله):
He considered the sale of animal droppings permissible.
According to him, people across all eras and regions have done this, and none objected.
In (2/550), it is also mentioned:
Since benefit is derived from them, their sale is permissible.
Imām Aḥmad (رحمه الله):
al-Inṣāf by Mardāwī (4/280):
According to the Ḥanbalī madhhab, the sale of droppings is not allowed, but:
Al-Mihna reports:
“I asked Imām Aḥmad about selling droppings and dung; he said: ‘There is no harm in it.’”
In my view, the sale of droppings and dung is permissible, because:
➊ The default ruling is that all things are permissible unless there is clear evidence to the contrary.
➋ No such authentic evidence exists here.
➌ Those who declared its sale forbidden based their view on it being impure.
➍ However, it has already been clarified that the droppings of animals whose meat is lawful are not impure, but pure.
The presence of urine or feces in a house does not prevent angels from entering.
Evidence of this is found in a ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would urinate at night into a wooden vessel kept in the house.”
(Narrated by Abū Dāwūd)
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Taken from: Fatāwā ad-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Volume 1, Page 332❀ Question:
Some people claim that if dung (i.e., animal feces or droppings) is present in the house, angels do not enter such a house. Is this statement correct?
✔ This Statement Is Not Established in the Books
The notion that the presence of dung in a house prevents angels from entering is not found in any authentic or reliable Islamic book. Apparently, this statement is incorrect, because:
◈ The droppings and dung of animals whose meat is lawful to consume are considered pure.
◈ This issue has already been addressed in Issue No. 130.
◈ If something is pure, it cannot act as a hindrance for the arrival of angels.
However, it is true that angels prefer cleanliness and are averse to foul smells. (Translator's Note)
✔ Jurisprudential Statements and Evidence
al-Hidāyah (4/468) states:“In Kitāb al-Karīmah, it is mentioned that there is no harm in the sale of droppings.”
However, the sale of human waste (excrement) is disliked.
Fatḥ al-Qadīr (8/386) also affirms:There is no harm in selling animal droppings.
It is narrated from Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ (رضي الله عنه) that he would have dung spread over his land and would say:
“It is the responsibility of the buyer to measure, not the seller.”
◈ In Arabic, the term ‘Ar al-Arḍ refers to placing manure or fertilizer into the land.
◈ ‘Al-ʿIrah specifically means animal dung.
✔ Opinion of Imām al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله)
In Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī (6/289), Imām al-Qurṭubī writes:
“There is unanimous consensus of the Muslim Ummah on the prohibition of selling blood and wine.”
From this, it is understood that substances like dung, human excrement, and other impurities, which are not lawful to consume, are prohibited from being sold.
Allah knows best.
✔ Opinions of the Imams
Imām Mālik (رحمه الله):
He considered the sale of animal excrement (faeces) as disliked.
Ibn Qāsim:
He allowed it due to the benefit derived, though analogy supports the opinion of Imām Mālik.
Imām Shāfiʿī (رحمه الله):
He held a similar position.
A ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth supports that the sale of such substances is not permitted:
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه):
“It is prohibited to turn wine into vinegar and then sell it.”
al-Majmūʿ (9/230) states:“The sale of excrement of lawful animals and pigeons is invalid, and its price is ḥarām. This is our view.”
Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (رحمه الله):
He considered the sale of animal droppings permissible.
According to him, people across all eras and regions have done this, and none objected.
In (2/550), it is also mentioned:
Since benefit is derived from them, their sale is permissible.
Imām Aḥmad (رحمه الله):
al-Inṣāf by Mardāwī (4/280):According to the Ḥanbalī madhhab, the sale of droppings is not allowed, but:
Al-Mihna reports:
“I asked Imām Aḥmad about selling droppings and dung; he said: ‘There is no harm in it.’”
✔ Conclusion and Strongest Opinion
In my view, the sale of droppings and dung is permissible, because:
➊ The default ruling is that all things are permissible unless there is clear evidence to the contrary.
➋ No such authentic evidence exists here.
➌ Those who declared its sale forbidden based their view on it being impure.
➍ However, it has already been clarified that the droppings of animals whose meat is lawful are not impure, but pure.
✔ Issue of Angels Entering the House
The presence of urine or feces in a house does not prevent angels from entering.
Evidence of this is found in a ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would urinate at night into a wooden vessel kept in the house.”
(Narrated by Abū Dāwūd)
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
