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Ruling on vomit of eatable and uneatable animals

Question

According to the preponderant opinion, which is the sound opinion too, human vomit is pure. What is the Sharee‘ah ruling on the vomit of the eatable and uneatable animals? What is the Sharee‘ah ruling on the vomit of the dog and the swine?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

According to the preponderant opinion, human vomit is pure as long as it is not transformed from food into other substances. If it is transformed, however, it is impure. Al-Mawwaaq  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him a Maaliki scholar, said: "There are two types of vomit: the first is that which comes out in the form of food and it is pure. The second is that which is transformed from food into another substance and it is impure."

The vomit of eatable animals is pure, whether it is still food or not. If it is changed, it would be considered regurgitation and it is pure according to the preponderant opinion. As evidence, Ibn Qudaamah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him stated in Al-Mughni that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, commanded a group of sick people to drink from the camels' urine. It is admissible that it is impermissible to drink something impure.

The vomit of uneatable animals is impure when it changes and becomes like the animal's excrement. In Al-Mughni, Ibn Qudaamah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: "The vomit and similar substances which come out from the uneatable animal are subject to the same ruling of its urine. It is transformed from food and therefore it is similar to dung."

The vomit of a dog and a swine is impure. In Al-Mughni, Ibn Qudaamah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: "Whether the dog licked or entered its hand, leg, hair or any part of its body, all are equal in terms of impurity. That it is because each part of the animal takes the same ruling of other parts, as we stated before. The swine takes the same ruling of the dog. That it is because the Sharee‘ah text mentioned the dog and the swine is eviler and more serious than it since Allaah The Almighty Stated that it is prohibited and the Muslims unanimously agree that it is prohibited. It is also prohibited to possess and raise it."

Allaah Knows best.

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