Question

Assalamualaykum.

I’m student studying Dentistry in University. The college has advised us to take a human skull home from the anatomy department. We would keep the skull for a few months to help us with our studies and then return it.

Would this be allowed in Islam?

JazakAllah Khairun for your help.

Answer

It is not permissible in the shari’ah to benefit from any part of the body of the deceased, including human bones and skulls, out of reverence for the deceased. Hence, if it is merely advised and not required for you to take the skull home, you must refrain from it.

  كُرِهَ بَيْعُ الْعَذِرَة … وَكَذَا بَيْعُ كُلِّ مَا انْفَصَلَ عَنْ الْآدَمِيِّ كَشَعْرٍ وَظُفْرٍ لِأَنَّهُ جُزْءُ الْآدَمِيِّ، وَلِذَا وَجَبَ دَفْنُهُ كَمَا فِي التُّمُرْتَاشِيِّ وَغَيْرِهِ

[ابن عابدين ,الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) ,6/385]

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel