In an age when food hygiene and safety attract ever more attention, any contamination in foodstuffs is worrying. One important question in this area is the religious ruling on finding mouse droppings in rice.
Encountering impurities (najāsat) in everyday food is something anyone may face. Mouse droppings are both a health hazard and, from a religious standpoint, a sensitive legal issue. This article examines the jurisprudential rulings on mouse droppings in rice, summarizes views of prominent jurists, and outlines practical responses.
Mouse droppings can carry dangerous diseases such as hantavirus, which can infect humans. This virus may enter the body via inhalation of air contaminated by rodent droppings or urine. Mouse droppings can also transmit other illnesses that threaten human health. Therefore, contamination of food — especially rice — by mouse droppings is a serious concern.
Religious authorities offer different rulings in this matter; some of the main positions are summarized below:
Najāsat (impurity) of mouse droppings: Mouse droppings are considered impure (najis). If droppings are seen in a watery food such as a soup or stew, then the entire dish is regarded as impure and its consumption is prohibited.
Mouse droppings in dry rice (before washing/cooking): If droppings are noticed in dry rice before washing and cooking, the droppings should be removed; if the impurity has not penetrated into the rice grains, then the rice is permitted for use.
After soaking rice: If mouse droppings are found after the rice has been soaked and the impurity has had contact with the soaking water so that it is judged to have penetrated the interior of the rice, then the rice is regarded as impure and its consumption is prohibited. In this case, one may remove the droppings and discard the rice.
After cooking: If mouse droppings are found after rice has been cooked, the ruling depends on certainty about timing. If it is certain that the impurity was present in the rice before cooking, then the rice remains impure and is unlawful to eat. But if the droppings likely fell onto the rice after cooking, then the visibly contaminated portion that is certainly impure should be removed and the remainder may be considered pure.
Ayatollah Makārim Shirāzī — In response to a question about mouse droppings in soaked rice, he states: if the droppings were in the water to a degree that the impurity penetrated the interior of the rice, eating it is prohibited. But if washing the rice removes only surface traces, it may be purified.
The Supreme Leader (Maqām-e Mo‘azzam-e Rahbari) — From his perspective, if droppings are found in cooked rice, the rice is impure and eating it is prohibited; one should perform purifying washings for utensils and the body as required.
Ayatollah Nūrī Hamadānī — He holds that if mouse droppings are found while washing rice, then rinsing the rice will render it pure.
When impurity is discovered in a meal, both hosts and guests have responsibilities. If the host notices that the food is impure, they should inform their guests. If, however, a guest discovers the impurity, there is no required obligation to notify others.
If someone prepares a vowed food (nadhriyyah) using rice that is impure, the vow is not fulfilled and the food should not be used. In such cases strict attention to religious rulings is necessary.
Mouse droppings in rice pose a health risk and raise important religious questions. By following the rulings outlined above and consulting competent religious authorities (marājiʿ) when in doubt, one can act appropriately. In all cases, priority should be given to preserving health alongside observing religious requirements. In Muslim communities this concern is particularly significant; awareness of jurisprudential rulings and adherence to hygiene can help prevent potential dangers and show respect for one’s own and others’ well-being.
