Can I Use Paintbrushes Made of Pig Hair?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu,

Years ago, I didn’t know paintbrushes were mostly made of pig hair. We painted the wood and all the doors in our house. Now I worry that the brushes were made from pig hair, so impurity is transferred to the doors etc. so when I touch the doors, I end up washing my hands.

1. Should I try to find out if the brushes we used were made of pig hair?

2. If I do find out they were made of pig hair, what should I do?

3. Would this have effect on my prayers?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

No, you cannot use paintbrushes made of pig hair or boar bristles. This is the relied upon position in the Hanafi school as the pig is deemed to be essentially filthy (najis al-`ayn).

Allah Most Mighty and Majestic says, “[Prophet], say, ‘In all that has been revealed to me, I find nothing forbidden for people to eat, except for carrion, flowing blood, pig’s meat– it is loathsome…’ ” [6.145]

The exegetes explain that even though the meat is specifically mentioned, in view of its being the most important part of the animal to the disbelievers, what is intended is the entire animal. [Sawi, Hashiyat Jalalayn; Jamal, al-Futuhat al-Ilahiyya]

The Dispensation

However, there is another position in the school which permits the use of such paintbrushes in cases of need or hardship, or in the case of a lack of suitable alternatives. Note that this judgement would need to be made by qualified scholars.

As such, and in your particular scenario, you don’t have to worry about the walls which were painted using such brushes, and you can take this dispensation for your past practice.

Moreover, there is no filth transfer to be concerned about as the walls are considered to be legally pure as long as the traces of filth are no longer manifest.

[Zayla`i, Tabyin al-Haqa’iq; ShaykhiZada, Majma` al-Anhur; Ibn `Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar]

Please also see: Is It Permissible to Use Brushes that Are Made of Animal Hair Other than Pig?

And Allah alone gives success.

في التبيين: ))قَالَ ( وَشَعْرِ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَيَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ لِلْخَرَزِ ) أَيْ لَا يَجُوزُ بَيْعُ شَعْرِهِ وَيَجُوزُ الِانْتِفَاعُ بِهِ لِلْخَرَزِ ؛ لِأَنَّهُ نَجِسُ الْعَيْنِ فَلَا يَجُوزُ بَيْعُهُ إهَانَةً لَهُ كَالْخَمْرِ وَهَذَا ؛ لِأَنَّ جَوَازَ بَيْعِهِ يُشْعِرُ بِإِعْزَازِهِ فِي غَيْرِ الْآدَمِيِّ وَنَجَاسَتَهُ تُشْعِرُ بِهَوَانِ الْمَحِلِّ ، وَإِنَّمَا جَازَ الِانْتِفَاعُ بِهِ لِلْأَسَاكِفَةِ ؛ لِأَنَّ خَرْزَ النِّعَالِ وَالْأَخْفَافِ لَا يَتَأَتَّى إلَّا بِهِ فَكَانَ فِيهِ ضَرُورَةٌ وَعَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ أَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ ؛ لِأَنَّ الْخَرْزَ يَتَأَتَّى بِغَيْرِهِ وَالْأَوَّلُ هُوَ الظَّاهِرُ ؛ لِأَنَّ الضَّرُورَةَ تُبِيحُ لَحْمَهُ فَالشَّعْرُ أَوْلَى ثُمَّ لَا حَاجَةَ إلَى شِرَائِهِ ؛ لِأَنَّهُ يُوجَدُ مُبَاحُ الْأَصْلِ ، وَقَالَ الْفَقِيهُ أَبُو اللَّيْثِ إنْ كَانَتْ الْأَسَاكِفَةُ لَا يَجِدُونَ شَعْرَ الْخِنْزِيرِ إلَّا بِالشِّرَاءِ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَجُوزَ لَهُمْ الشِّرَاءُ ؛ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ حَالَةُ الضَّرُورَةِ فَأَمَّا الْبَيْعُ فَيُكْرَهُ ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَا حَاجَةَ إلَيْهِ لِلْبَائِعِ وَلَا بَأْسَ لِلْأَسَاكِفَةِ أَنْ يُصَلُّوا مَعَ شَعْرِ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ قَدْرِ الدِّرْهَمِ وَلَوْ وَقَعَ فِي الْمَاءِ الْقَلِيلِ أَفْسَدَهُ عِنْدَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ ؛ لِأَنَّ الْإِطْلَاقَ لِلضَّرُورَةِ فَلَا يَظْهَرُ إلَّا فِي حَالَةِ الِاسْتِعْمَالِ وَفِي غَيْرِ تِلْكَ الْحَالَةِ بَقِيَ عَلَى الْأَصْلِ وَعِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ لَا يُفْسِدُهُ ؛ لِأَنَّ إطْلَاقَ الِانْتِفَاعِ دَلِيلُ طَهَارَتِهِ ، وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ ((

وفي رد المحتار: ((وقال الزيلعي: إطلاق الانتفاع به دليل طهارته، وهذا يفيد عدم تقييد حل الانتفاع به بالضرورة، ويفيد
جواز بيعه؛ ولذا قال في النهر: وينبغي أن يطيب للبائع الثمن على قول محمد …أما في زماننا فلا حاجة إليه؛ للاستغناء عنه بالمخارز والإبر،
قال في البحر: ظاهر كلامهم منع الانتفاع به عند عدم الضرورة بأن أمكن الخرز بغيره))

wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani