Eating earth (clay)

Question

Question: Eating earth (clay) is haram — where is this established from? And what is the reason (‘illa) for its impermissibility, when earth is pure and, when water is not available, is also purifying?

Answer

It is harmful to health, and for this reason eating it is forbidden — just as eating food too is forbidden in some cases: [ar]الأكل فوق الشبع حرام[/ar] “Eating beyond satiety is haram,” although food is pure, and in some cases eating it is even wajib, and in some cases sunna; but when it is harmful, it is forbidden.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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