Question: . What is the ruling regarding pigskin shoes. I mean these type of shoes are so common nowadays that it is very hard to keep away from them. Majority of shoes contain pigskin. Is this not a case of Umoomi Balwa.
Answer: Umoomi balwa would not apply in this situation. This is because it is very easy to purchase shoes that are not made of pigskin. In fact, MOST shoes are NOT made from pigskin.
Admittedly, however, the lining of shoes and more commonly, the inner sole may be made of pigskin. In such cases, you would not be allowed to wear them. You can get round the problem by having the shoes modified and removing the lining, replacing it with another material, though this may be practical only if your shoes are very expensive ones.
If only the inner sole is of pigskin, the solution is simple – rip out the pigskin sole and replace it with a standard non-pigskin inner sole, which can be bought from most shoe shops or even supermarkets. A few daba of glue should be enough to keep it in place.
Furthermore, shoes are also made from the skin and leather of other animals like cows, and for the lining, synthetic materials are often used. You should be able to find such shoes quite easily.
While answering your question, I checked ten pairs of shoes at the family home, and none of them were made of pigskin, so the idea that pigskin is unavoidable and umoome balwa should come into effect, is a little difficult to accept. (A/Hafeez 1/12)