Ruling on an Amulet Written with Chicken Blood

1. The Ruling on an Amulet Written with Chicken Blood

Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following matter: If a person wears an amulet written with chicken blood around his neck, will his prayer be valid or not? The amount of blood used to write an amulet is enough to be considered flowing blood. Should this amulet be considered impure, like a stain on clothes or a body, or not?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

First, it should be remembered that writing an amulet with blood is impermissible and a sin; therefore, it should be avoided. Instead, it should be written with musk, which is also blood in its origin. It is stated in Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah: "Similarly, amulets to avert epilepsy, etc., that are written with chicken blood are also impermissible. They should be written with musk instead, as it is also blood in its origin."[1]

The Ruling for the Case in Question: The details regarding the ruling on offering prayer while wearing an amulet written with an amount of blood that is considered flowing blood are as follows:

(a) If the blood is more than the size of a dirham, the prayer will be invalid, and offering prayer while wearing it intentionally is also impermissible and a sin.

(b) If the blood is equal to the size of a dirham, the prayer will be makrūh taḥrīmī (prohibitively disliked) and wājib al-iꜤādah (necessary to repeat). Intentionally offering prayer while wearing it is also impermissible and a sin.

(c) If the blood is less than the size of a dirham, the prayer will be valid, but it is better to repeat it, and intentionally offering prayer while wearing it is contrary to the Sunnah and makrūh (disliked).

Explanation of the measure of a dirham: Flowing blood is a major impurity. It is stated in Nihāyah Sharḥ al-Hidāyah: "والدم السائل نجس نجاسة غليظة" (Flowing blood is a heavy impurity).[2]

It has two types: thin blood and thick blood. And the size of a dirham for thin and thick impurity is different. Therefore, the measure for thin and thick blood will also be different, the details of which are as follows:

(a) Thin blood: If the blood is thin (i.e., its congealed form is not felt on a paper, etc., after it dries), the measure of a dirham refers to the size of a fully extended palm. To determine this, you should fully extend your palm and place it flat. Then, pour water on it gently so that no more water can be held on it. The size of the spread of that water is considered the size of a dirham. Thus, if the thin blood is equal to this size, it will be considered equal to a dirham. If it is more than this size, it will be considered more than a dirham, and if it is less than this size, it will be considered less.

(b) Thick blood: If the blood is thick (i.e., its raised body is felt on a paper, etc., after it dries), the measure of a dirham refers to the weight of 4.5 masha[3]. Thus, if the thick blood is equal to the weight of 4.5 masha, it will be considered equal to a dirham. If it is more than this weight, it will be considered more than a dirham, and if it is less than this weight, it will be considered less than a dirham.

Note: According to these details, it should be determined whether the blood used for the amulet is thin or thick, and its ruling should be applied according to the details mentioned above.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

2. The Ruling on Leaving IdṭibāꜤ in Three Rounds

Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following matter: I performed the tawaf of umrah and kept my right shoulder uncovered (idṭibāꜤ) for the first three rounds but covered it for the remaining four rounds without any excuse. Was it correct to do so? If not, is a penalty or charity required in this situation?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Principle of Islamic Law: The principle of Islamic Law is that idṭibāꜤ is a sunnah in all the rounds of a tawaf (ritual circumambulation of the KaꜤbah) that is followed by saꜤī[4]. Therefore, if a person omits it in all or some of the rounds without any excuse, he is guilty of acting against the sunnah and has committed a disliked deed, meaning he is deserving of blame. If there is an excuse, then it is not a disliked deed. However, a penalty or charity is not required in either of these situations (i.e., for leaving idṭibāꜤ with or without an excuse).

The Answer for the Case in Question: In light of the above-mentioned principle, leaving idṭibāꜤ in four rounds without any excuse was an act against the sunnah and a disliked deed. However, no penalty or charity is required because of it.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

3. Kangaroo Meat Is Permissible to Eat

Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following matter: Is kangaroo meat permissible to eat or not? Please provide religious guidance.

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Kangaroo is a permissible animal to eat according to Islamic Law because, from a religious perspective, animals that are forbidden are those that hunt with pointed teeth, while a kangaroo is not such an animal. It is an herbivore that only eats grass, leaves, etc.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم