Question:
What is the ruling of using food containers that are assumed to have been used to store pork?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
First and foremost, we would like to present the evidence that states the impurity (najis) of pork. The scholars have agreed that pork is totally prohibited according to the Quran. This means all parts of pork are prohibited, which includes its hair, flesh, bone, skin, and it is considered as najis (impure) even if it is slaughtered. See Wahbah al-Zuhaili. Al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu. vol. 1. pg. 302.
Evidence for the Impurity (Najis) of Pork
Allah SWT states:
قل لا أَجِدُ فِيمَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلَى طَاعِمٍ يَطْعَمُهُ إِلا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَيْتَةً أَوْ دَمًا مَسْفُوحًا أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنْزِيرٍ فَإِنَّهُ رِجْسٌ أَوْ فِسْقًا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلا عَادٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Say, "I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilt out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
Surah al-An’am (145)
The Prophet PBUH said:
طُهُورُ إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا وَلَغَ فِيهِ الْكَلْبُ أَنْ يَغْسِلَهُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أُولاَهُنَّ بِالتُّرَابِ
“The cleansing of the utensil belonging to one of you, after it has been licked by a dog, is to wash it seven times, and using soil for cleaning for the first time.”
Sahih Muslim (279)
The above hadith refers to dogs and any animal like it, which includes swine for swine is worse than dogs in terms of its impurity (najis). See Muhammad al-Zuhaili. Al-Mu’tamad fi al-Fiqh al-Syafie. vol. 1. pg. 46.
The Categories of Najis (Impure things); Najis ‘Aini and Najis Hukmi
Najis ‘Aini is all najis that are solids or liquids and possess the physical characteristics of najis (in terms of color or smell), such as dung, urine and blood.
Najis Hukmi is all najis that has dried and is no longer visible. In other words, the color or smell of the najis is gone. For example, a shirt that has some urine on it but has dried and the color or smell of urine is gone. See Mustafa al-Khin, Mustafa al-Bugha, Ali Syarbaji. Al-Fiqh al-Manhaji. vol. 1. pg. 40.
The Category for Pork (Najis)
Pork is categorized as mughallazah ( مُغَلَّظَةٌ) najis, which is a heavy najis, that consist of only dogs and swine. From a hadith of the Prophet PBUH, it states that for heavy najis, the purification process is not enough with just washing with water like other najis. For mughallazah najis, it has to be washed with water seven times, one of it must be with water mixed with soil.
The ruling for swine is taken through the qiyas (analogical deduction) to dogs, for its characteristic is worse than dogs. See Mustafa al-Khin, Mustafa al-Bugha, Ali Syarbaji. Al-Fiqh al-Manhaji. vol. 1. pg. 40.
Purification Process of Najis
The purification process from mughallazah najis (dogs or swine) is by washing seven times and one of it with water mixed with soil, whether the najis is najis ‘aini or najis hukmi, and whether it comes in contact with clothes, body or place. See Mustafa al-Khin, Mustafa al-Bugha, Ali Syarbaji. Al-Fiqh al-Manhaji. vol. 1. pg. 42.
According to the above discussion, it can be concluded that pork is a mughallazah najis, categorized under najis ‘aini and the purification process for it is by washing it seven times with one of the washing using water mixed with soil.
However, as for the ruling for the case of using food containers that are assumed to have been used to store pork, we refer to al-Fiqh al-Manhaji, which states:
“It is permissible to use the containers of the disbelievers according to a hadith from Abu Tha’labah RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
فَاغْسِلُوهَا وَكُلُوا فِيهَا
“Wash them and eat in them.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (5161)
The instruction of washing the container is sunnah for the containers may have been used to drink alcoholic beverages, eat pork and others. The same applies to wear clothes of non-Muslims, the ruling of using their food containers is the same. See Mustafa al-Khin, Mustafa al-Bugha, Ali Syarbaji. Al-Fiqh al-Manhaji. vol. 1. pg. 37.
May this explanation give us understanding in following the commandments in our religion correctly ad avoid the syubhah (doubtful things) in our lives. Amin.