Prayer TimesIn our Sharia, eating donkey meat is prohibited. There are many hadiths regarding this.
It is narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him): "On the day of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade eating the meat of domestic donkeys and permitted eating horse meat" [1]. In another hadith, the companion Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "On the day of Khaybar, the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade eating the meat of domestic donkeys" [2].
As for donkey's milk, scholars have differed on this issue. In the book Fath al-Qadir, it is stated that according to the apparent narration, donkey's milk is considered impure. Also, Ayn al-A'imma said: "The correct view is that donkey's milk is considered major impurity, because it is unanimously agreed (ijma' [3]) to be haram," as cited in the book [4].
Therefore, both donkey meat and milk are haram and impure. It is not permissible to eat or drink them.
Regarding using donkey's milk for treatment, Ibn al-Nujaym al-Hanafi said: "Our scholars have not reached a consensus on the ruling of using haram substances for treatment. However, in the book al-Zahira it is stated: 'If no other remedy is found except the haram one, and it is certain that it contains a cure, then it is permissible to use it' [5]. The hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ), 'There is no healing for you in what Allah has forbidden' [6], applies only to things that do not contain a cure [7]. If it is established that it contains a cure and there is no alternative halal medicine, then there is no harm in using it.
The hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ), 'There is no healing for you in what Allah has forbidden' [6], applies only to things that do not contain a cure [7].
Therefore, if a just and trustworthy Muslim doctor concludes that drinking donkey's milk is the only cure for an illness and it has no harm, and there is no halal alternative, then there is no objection to using it for medicinal purposes.
Bauyrzhan Abdualiyev,
Specialist, Sharia and Fatwa Department, Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan
[1] Bukhari No. 4219. Muslim No. 1941.
[2] Bukhari, No. 5202.
[3] The unanimous rulings of all scholars living in one era on a particular issue.
[4] Ibn Humam, Fath al-Qadir, 1/118.
[5] al-Bahr al-Ra'iq Sharh Kanz al-Daqa'iq, 1/122.
[6] Narrated by Bukhari.
[7] Radd al-Muhtar, 1/365.
This content was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.