A crossbred animal follows its mother in lawfulness and unlawfulness

Question

Question: Is the mule haram or halal? What is the underlying cause (‘illa) of its being haram? It is well known about the American cow that it is born from the crossing of a cow and a pig — what is the ruling on it?

Answer

Among animals the offspring follows the mother: that is, if the mother is halal, the offspring is also halal, and if the mother is haram, the offspring is also haram. If a stallion mates with a she-donkey and a mule is born of it, then, following its mother, it will be haram; if a donkey mates with a cow and a calf is born of it, then, following its mother, it will be halal.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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