The permissibility of using civet oil (sometimes called civet musk) in Islam depends on how it is derived and used, and this is discussed in detail below.
Civet oil is a substance secreted by the perineal (anal) gland of a civet cat and has been traditionally used in perfumes and flavour industrial, but first lets look at the history and uses of civet Oil.
First used in the 10th Century by Arabic perfumers who pioneered the use of civet (which isn’t a cat at all, rather confusingly; it looks more like a spotted-and-striped possum). It rapidly became incredibly desirable as a perfume ingredient, with artisans using civet (albeit highly-diluted) to scent gloves, in Shakespeare’s time.
There are two types of civet: one African (its habitat spans Ethiopia through to South Africa), and Indian, native to Nepal, Bangladesh and Vietnam. For a while, attempts were made to keep civet cats in captivity to ensure a ready supply of this perfume ingredient. However, most of the civet oil now used is synthetically recreated, for ethical reasons (the cats are kept in cages and stressed, in order to produce the secretion). Because of this, civet cat oil is not commonly used in food today, and several countries do not authorise its use as an ingredient. For instance, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not consider the use of civet oil as a food flavoring to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The great majority of civet oil used in perfumes nowadays is synthetic and not obtained from civet cats. As there are no global laws to stop the use of civet oil obtained from civet cats, we cannot be sure about the origin of civit oil in perfumes or flavourings.
The permissibility of using civet oil in Islam is indeed a complex matter, largely influenced by the ethical and purity concerns outlined in Islamic jurisprudence. Here’s a breakdown of the key issues:
Source of Civet Oil:
The primary concern is that civet oil is traditionally derived from the anal glands of civet cats, often through methods that can be harmful or stressful to the animals. This raises questions about the ethics of using such an oil in Islamic practice, given the emphasis Islam places on humane treatment of animals.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized treating animals with kindness, as highlighted in various hadiths, so practices that involve cruelty or harm to animals are generally discouraged.
The Qur'an states, "And there is no creature on the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you" (Surah Al-An'am, 6:38), indicating the importance of humane treatment of animals.
Purity (Taharah):
Another issue revolves around the purity of the substance. Since civet oil is an animal secretion, it could be considered impure (najas) unless it undergoes a thorough purification process. Islamic law typically requires that items used for personal or ritual purposes be pure, and substances derived from animal secretions (especially from the anal area) are often considered impure unless explicitly purified.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Allah is pure and accepts only that which is pure" (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1015).
Some scholars argue that since civet oil is an animal secretion from the anal gland, it may fall under impurity unless highly purified during processing.
Necessity and Benefit:
The concept of necessity (darurah) might allow the use of civet oil in situations where no permissible alternatives exist, and if the oil has clear medicinal or essential benefits. However, for non-essential uses, such as luxury perfumes, the permissibility becomes more restrictive.
Scholarly Opinions:
There is a range of opinions among Islamic scholars, particularly across different schools of thought (Hanafi, Maliki, Hanbali). Generally, many scholars agree that civet oil, if obtained in an unethical manner, is impermissible due to the harm caused to the animals and concerns over its impurity.
Some scholars may allow its use if the extraction process is ethical, i.e., no harm is done to the civet cats, and the oil is purified. However, the consensus tends to favour avoiding it altogether.
In modern times, most scholars recommend using synthetic alternatives to civet oil, which are widely available and avoid the ethical and purity concerns associated with the natural oil.
Conclusion:
Civet oil is generally viewed as impermissible (Haram) or disliked (makruh) due to the ethical and purity concerns. In cases where synthetic alternatives are available, they are preferred to avoid any doubts.
The hadith that advises, “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) is often cited in this context.
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