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Products Containing Bird Feathers of Unknown Source

Answered as per Shafi'i Fiqh by Shafiifiqh.com

Question:
Assalamu alaikum,
My question is regarding using products (e.g. pillows, cushions and clothing ) that contain bird or duck feathers that are sourced from non-Muslim countries.
There are two ways of plucking feathers. The first way is whilst the animal is dead or after being (most likely) un-Islamically slaughtered and the second is whilst it is alive (this is practiced in Eastern Europe and China).
Is it permissible to use products containing feathers from a doubtful source?

Country: United Kingdom

Answer:

Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuHu,

Feathers plucked while an edible bird is alive, or after it is slaughtered, are pure. If the feathers are from an inedible bird, or plucked from an edible bird after it dies without being slaughtered, then they are impure. In the instance that one doubts the source or whether they were taken before or after slaughter, then the default ruling is that they are pure. (Mughni al-Muhtaj v. 1, p. 235; Tuhfat al-Muhtaj v. 1, p. 300)

And Allah knows best.

Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept.

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