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Someone recently brought it to our attention that animal products are used in making fabric softeners like Lenor, Comfort etc.

QUESTION

Someone recently brought it to our attention that animal products are used in making fabric softeners like Lenor, Comfort etc. My sister emailed the manufacturers of Lenor and they said they can't guarantee which animal product they use and that it can be cows, sheep, horses or pigs. Would this mean clothing washed with these products was unsuitable to pray in? If it did make our clothing unsuitable for salah would we need to make up our previous prayers again? JazakAllah

ANSWER

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

With regards to the ruling of using a fabric softener containing animal derived ingredients as described, its ruling is similar to that of soap. It should be noted that there is a juristic difference of opinion on the issue regarding soap which is derived from impermissible animal sources. According to some scholars such as Imam Abu Yusuf, this type of soap and by extension such fabric softeners, are not permissible to use, due to being derived from an impermissible source.

However, according to the view of other jurists such as Imam Abu Hanifah, there is scope for using this type of soap and similarly such fabric softeners, as the animal ingredients are chemically transformed into soap or part of the fabric softener, which is regarded as a new and different substance. This is similar to the ruling of vinegar which has been derived from wine and yet it is still regarded as halal, due the occurrence of a chemical transformation, generally termed as Istihala in the language of the Shariah. 

In conclusion, one may act upon the view of those scholars which allows the usage of such soap and fabric softener, due to the substance and chemical transformation of the animal ingredients, especially where it is difficult to find a suitable alternative. However, where feasible, it is preferable that one should try to avoid such products out of precaution.

References

لما في الفتاوى الشامية 316/1
قوله: (ويطهر زيت) قد ذكر هذه المسألة العلامة قاسم في فتاواه، وكذا ما سيأتي متنا وشرحها من مسائل التطهير بانقلاب العين، وذكر الادلة على ذلك بما لا مزيد عليه، وحقق ودقق كما هو دأبه رحمه الله تعالى، فليراجع.
ثم هذه المسألة قد فرعوها على قول محمد بالطهارة بانقلاب العين الذي عليه الفتوى، واختاره أكثر المشايخ خلافا لابي يوسف كما في شرح المنية والفتح وغيرهما.
وعبارة المجتبى: جعل الدهن النجس في صابون يفتى بطهارته لانه تغير، والتغير يطهر عند محمد، ويفتى به للبلوى ا ه.
وظاهره أن دهن الميتة كذلك لتعبيره بالنجس دون المتنجس، إلا أن يقال: هو خاص بالنجس لان العادة في الصابون وضع الزيت دون بقية الادهان.
تأمل.
ثم رأيت في شرح المنية ما يؤيد الاول حيث قال: وعليه يتفرع ما لو وقع إنسان أو كلب في قدر الصابون فصار صابونا يكون طاهرا لتبدل الحقيقة ا ه.

And Allah knows Best

Answered by FCB Fatwa Department