Are these considered impure (najis)?

Does the process of turning them into leather not count as transformation (istihala) and purification?

Does contact with these leathers cause impurity when the clothes or body are wet, or does dry contact also cause impurity?

✅ Answer: Please refer to the following narrations:

1⃣عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ جِلْدِ الْمَيْتَةِ يُلْبَسُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ إِذَا دُبِغَ قَالَ لَا وَ إِنْ دُبِغَ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 2, p. 203

Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) whether the skin of a dead animal (mayta), if tanned, can be worn during prayer. He replied: No, even if it is tanned seventy times!

2⃣عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنِ الْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَا بَأْسَ بِالصَّلَاةِ فِي الْفِرَاءِ [القز ] الْيَمَانِيِّ وَ فِيمَا صُنِعَ فِي أَرْضِ الْإِسْلَامِ- قُلْتُ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِيهَا غَيْرُ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ- قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ الْغَالِبُ عَلَيْهَا الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَلَا بَأْسَ.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 2, p. 368

Ishaq ibn Ammar narrated from Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) that he said: There is no issue in praying with Yemeni (hairy leather) cloaks and those made in Muslim lands. I asked: What if there is a non-Muslim among them? He replied: As long as the majority are Muslims, there is no issue.

3⃣إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ عِيسَى قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ عَنِ الْجُلُودِ الْفِرَاءِ يَشْتَرِيهَا الرَّجُلُ فِي سُوقٍ مِنَ أَسْوَاقِ الْجَبَلِ أَ يَسْأَلُ عَنْ ذَكَاتِهِ إِذَا كَانَ الْبَائِعُ مُسْلِماً غَيْرَ عَارِفٍ- قَالَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْتُمْ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهُ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ يَبِيعُونَ ذَلِكَ وَ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ يُصَلُّونَ فِيهِ فَلَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهُ.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 2, p. 371

Ismail ibn Isa said: I asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) about a hairy leather cloak purchased from a market in Jabal, where the seller is a non-Muslim. Should one inquire about how the animal was slaughtered? The Imam replied: If polytheists sell them, you must inquire and investigate, but if the sellers pray in them, do not ask.

4⃣عَنْ قَاسِمٍ الصَّيْقَلِ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرِّضَا أَنِّي أَعْمَلُ أَغْمَادَ السُّيُوفِ مِنْ جُلُودِ الْحُمُرِ الْمَيْتَةِ فَتُصِيبُ ثِيَابِي فَأُصَلِّي فِيهَا فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ اتَّخِذْ ثَوْباً لِصَلَاتِكَ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 407

Qasim Sayqal said: I wrote to Imam Reza (peace be upon him), saying: I make sword sheaths from the skin of dead donkeys, and it touches my clothes. Should I pray in them? The Imam replied: Choose other clothes for your prayers!

✅ From the Shi'a narrations, some of which are mentioned above, it is clear that dead animals (mayta), whether from a prohibited animal or a lawful animal not slaughtered according to Islamic law, are considered impure, and tanning (turning the skin into leather) does not purify them. Leather made in markets in Muslim areas or where the majority are Muslims does not require inquiry, but leather in non-Muslim areas is not trustworthy and is considered impure unless it is known for certain that it is not from a dead animal.

✅ Regarding the transfer of impurity, the presence of transferable moisture is a condition, as mentioned in various narrations about impurities. For example:

5⃣عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ مُوسَی قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَقَعُ ثَوْبُهُ عَلَى حِمَارٍ مَيِّتٍ هَلْ تَصْلُحُ لَهُ الصَّلَاةُ فِيهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغْسِلَهُ قَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ غَسْلُهُ وَ لْيُصَلِّ فِيهِ وَ لَا بَأْسَ.

📚 Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 1, p. 276

Ali ibn Ja'far asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) about a person whose clothes fall on a dead donkey. Should he pray in them before washing? The Imam replied: He can pray in them, and there is no issue.

6⃣عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَطَأُ فِي الْعَذِرَةِ أَوِ الْبَوْلِ أَ يُعِيدُ الْوُضُوءَ قَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ يَغْسِلُ مَا أَصَابَهُ.

قَالَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى إِذَا كَانَ جَافّاً فَلَا تَغْسِلْهُ.

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 39

Haleebi asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about a person who steps into excrement or urine. Should he repeat his ablution? The Imam replied: No, but he should wash off what has touched him.

Al-Kulayni said: In another narration, it is mentioned that if it is dry, he does not need to wash it.