Q. Can cosmetic products originating from the Dead Sea be used?
A. No, as this would be tantamount to a pollution resulting from insubordination or disobedience.

Let us examine the following explanation: –

The earth, the moon, the sun, in short, the whole universe is in total submission to the absolute Lord, Allah Ta’ala: “For to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between.” (5: 17)

Allah Ta’ala affirms that the whole planet is in total submission to Him and cannot alter His decree. He has stated: “And the sun runs its course for a period determined for it.” “It is not permitted to the sun to catch up the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day: each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit.” (36: 38 and 40)

This submission is total and no atom of the universe can escape from it: “And to Allah dolt obeisance all that is in the heavens and on earth.” (16: 49)

And since His Sovereignty in His Kingdom encompasses everything and excludes nobody, He demands that man should submit himself to Him. “To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth. And to Him is duty due always.” (16: 52)

Man is the creature who should be responsible for his own actions since he acts freely. But he will have to suffer the consequences of his actions in the Hereafter. “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it.” “And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.” (99: 7 and 8)

So you see, good deeds attract blessings, create a healthy environment and ensure for us well-being in this life and also in the Hereafter. However, acts of disobedience result in divine wrath and punishment. If no repentance is forthcoming, then their effects will be harmful and the pollution will continue even after the punishment. We have learnt, besides, the harmful and negative effects of deeds committed by peoples such as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Allah Ta’ala has stated: “When Our decree issued, We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones, hard as baked clay, spread layer on layer.” “Marked as from thy Lord: nor are they ever far from those who do wrong.” (11: 82-83). In this verse, Allah has explicitly expressed His anger. Not only by overturning a whole city but alsoby sending stones on that people who already indulging in sodomy. One can, no doubt, imagine, in the light of that punishment, the immense revelation and great divine wrath about those totally unnatural acts. May Allah Ta’ala forgive us and protect us from such practice! Ameen!

Use of the Resources of the Dead Sea according to the Shariah

After these curses and punishments, what is the standpoint of the Shariah regarding the site and use of the land and water of that people who lived there before the curse? The answer can be found in an account given by Bukhari which indicates, that prophet Muhammad (saw) did pass next to the ruins of the Thamud people. “But the Thamud – they were destroyed by (the sound of) an awful cry.” (69: 5)

It has been reported under the authority of Ibn Umar (ra) that, during the Tabuk expedition, when prophet Muhammad (saw) came down to Hijr (where the ruins of the Thamud people are situated), he prevented them from drinking the water of their well and using their water. The companions exclaimed that they had prepared flour pastry and that they had already used plenty of that water. The prophet of Allah ordered them to throw away the flour pastry and to let the water flow. It is not therefore permissible to make use of the water, the earth or even other resources found in that region where Allah’s curse had struck that people.

According to an account reported by Muslim, one is not allowed to pay a visit to these sites except with the fear of Allah in the heart in order to draw a lesson from it. Allah Ta’ala has encouraged us to visit those places not as tourists but in order to reflect and meditate on the fate of disobedient people. “Say: Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who rejected truth.” (6: 11)

According to eastern Arabs, the Dead Sea is also called Bahr Lut, which means the sea of Lut (as) people. It is the site of the punishment incurred by the overturning of those cities was such that the Dead Sea is the site of the lowest altitude in the world. The earths or the salts used for cosmetic care and originating from the Dead Sea are not permissible according to the shariah.

In this same perspective, we wish to notify to you that the brushes used in beauty care and paint brushes contain bristles of pork origin and need to be replaced by synthetic brushes with lamb bristles.