Is it permissible to buy shoes that are made of snake skin?

Nasihah (Advice): The permissibility to kill snakes

Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “If you see a snake at your residence then say to it, we ask you by the covenant of Nuh (alayhis salam) and the covenant of Sulayman (alayhis salam) that you do not harm us. If it reappears then kill it.” [Sunan Tirmidhi]

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Question and Answer:

1. Is it permissible to buy shoes that are made of snake skin?

(Question published as received)

1. The skin of all animals with the exception of pigskin becomes pure after following a process of tanning.

Therefore, it would be permissible to purchase or wear clothing/shoes made of snakeskin after it is tanned. (Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah 16/62 – Fataawa Darul Uloom Deoband 268)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

Mufti Moosa Salie

(The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) 

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