What is the Fatwa of using pigs in medical research?
Question
I am offered a job in a pharmaceutical company. It involves testing the efficacy and toxic effects of new "investigational" or "potential" medication on several animal species. Usually, we use rats and mice but sometimes it might be necessary to use pigs and/or dogs. What is the ruling of using pigs in medical research? Jazak Allah Khairan for helping me on this issue. If possible, please include the daleel for the Fatwa. Salam alikum
Answer
If there is a need to use animals, dogs and pigs, etc. for medical research and there is no alternative, then it is permissible to do medical research on animals based on the principle that 'necessity relaxes prohibition'. (Ashbah Wan Nazaair; Ibn Nujaym)
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT.
- Answered by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah (AskImam). It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.