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Ruling on stuffing animals and birds

24-12-2001

Question 21591

Some people have animals and birds stuffed, by putting salt, Dettol, cotton and other materials inside them, then they put them in their living rooms for decoration. What is the ruling of the pure sharee’ah concerning that?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

It is not permissible to do such things because it is a waste of money and because it is a means of becoming attached to that stuffed animal and thinking that it wards off evil from the house and its occupants, as some ignorant people think. And it is also a means that leads to people hanging up pictures of animate beings, following the example of the one who had the animal stuffed, thinking that it is an image. The Standing Committee for Research and Issuing Fatwas, under my leadership and with my participation, issued a fatwa to this effect. And Allah is the Source of strength. 

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