Question 1406 - If insects like flies or similar fall into food or drink, is that food or drink permissible to consume?

71 28 Feb 2022
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✅ Answer: Refer to the following narrations:

1 عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِیِّ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: سُئِلَ عَنِ الْخُنْفَسَاءِ وَ الذُّبَابِ وَ الْجَرَادِ وَ النَّمْلَةِ وَ مَا أَشْبَهَ ذَلِکَ یَمُوتُ فِی الْبِئْرِ وَ الزَّیْتِ وَ السَّمْنِ وَ شِبْهِهِ قَالَ کُلُّ مَا لَیْسَ لَهُ دَمٌ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, vol.1, p.230

It was asked of Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) regarding beetles, flies, locusts, ants, and similar creatures that die in a well, olive oil, butter, or similar; the Imam said: Anything that does not have blood is permissible!

2 عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِیَاثٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ: لَا یُفْسِدُ الْمَاءَ إِلَّا مَا کَانَتْ لَهُ نَفْسٌ سَائِلَةٌ.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, vol.1, p.231

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Water does not become impure except by something that has flowing and spurting blood!

3 عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْفَأْرَةِ تَقَعُ فِی السَّمْنِ أَوْ فِی الزَّیْتِ فَتَمُوتُ فِیهِ فَقَالَ إِنْ کَانَ جَامِداً فَتَطْرَحُهَا وَ مَا حَوْلَهَا وَ یُؤْکَلُ مَا بَقِیَ وَ إِنْ کَانَ ذَائِباً فَأَسْرِجْ بِهِ وَ أَعْلِمْهُمْ إِذَا بِعْتَهُ.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, vol.7, p.129

Abu Basir said: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) about a mouse that falls into animal butter or olive oil and dies in it; the Imam said: If the butter is solid, remove the mouse and the surrounding butter and the rest can be eaten. If it is liquid, use it for lamps, and when selling it, inform the buyer!

4 عَنْ مُعَاوِیَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ وَ غَیْرِهِ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِی جُرَذٍ مَاتَ فِی زَیْتٍ مَا تَقُولُ فِی بَیْعِ ذَلِکَ فَقَالَ بِعْهُ وَ بَیِّنْهُ لِمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ لِیَسْتَصْبِحَ بِهِ.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, vol.7, p.129

Mu'awiyah ibn Wahb and others asked Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): What do you say about a mouse that dies in olive oil? He said: Sell it and inform the buyer to use it for lighting lamps!

5 عَنْ إِسْمَاعِیلَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْخَالِقِ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّه قَالَ: سَأَلَهُ سَعِیدٌ الْأَعْرَجُ السَّمَّانُ وَ أَنَا حَاضِرٌ عَنِ الزَّیْتِ وَ السَّمْنِ وَ الْعَسَلِ تَقَعُ فِیهِ الْفَأْرَةُ فَتَمُوتُ کَیْفَ یُصْنَعُ بِهِ قَالَ أَمَّا الزَّیْتُ فَلَا تَبِعْهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ تُبَیِّنُ لَهُ فَیَبْتَاعُ لِلسِّرَاجِ وَ أَمَّا الْأَکْلُ فَلَا وَ أَمَّا السَّمْنُ فَإِنْ کَانَ ذَائِباً فَهُوَ کَذَلِکَ وَ إِنْ کَانَ جَامِداً وَ الْفَأْرَةُ فِی أَعْلَاهُ فَیُؤْخَذُ مَا تَحْتَهَا وَ مَا حَوْلَهَا ثُمَّ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ الْعَسَلُ کَذَلِکَ إِنْ کَانَ جَامِداً.

📚 Qurb al-Isnad, p.60

Isma'il ibn Abd al-Khaliq said: Sa'id al-Araj, an oil seller, asked Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) about olive oil, animal butter, and honey in which a mouse dies. The Imam said: Do not sell olive oil for eating; only sell it to someone for lamps. As for animal butter, if it is liquid, same ruling; if solid and the mouse is on top, remove the area around it and it is fine. Same ruling for solid honey!

✅ According to the above narrations and others, insects and animals like flies, beetles, locusts, etc., that do not have flowing blood, if they die in water or food, do not make it impure, and that water or food is permissible to eat and use for purification, ablution, etc.

However, if an animal like a mouse that has flowing blood dies in water or drink, it is not permissible for consumption or purification unless it is in a solid substance like solid butter or solid honey, where removing the area around the dead animal makes the remainder permissible for eating or selling.

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اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر