Assalaam alaykum. Is it permissible to use jackets with fur collars? If it comes from a raccoon, is it permissible to wear it, and do I have to wash my hands if I touch it or is that only when my hands are wet or the fur is wet?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. 

According to the preponderant opinion, it is permissible to wear these coats if the fur has been tanned because of the general meaning of the hadeeth narrated by Ibn Abbaas who said, “I heard the Prophet say, 'Any skin that has been tanned becomes pure.'” [Muslim]

At-Tirmithi said, “Most of the scholars are of this view, as they said that if the fur of dead animals has been tanned, it becomes pure.”

There is a difference of opinion on the issue but the view we consider to be more preponderant is that it is permissible to wear what is made from the fur of all dead animals if it is tanned, whether or not it is permissible to eat the meat of the animal, and whether or not the animal is originally impure. This is because the most preponderant opinion is that the fur of dead animals becomes pure if it is tanned.

Al-Muhaththab, authored by ash-Sheeraazi reads, “The skin of any impure animal becomes pure by being tanned, with the exception of the skin of a dog and pig, as the Prophet said, 'Any skin that has been tanned becomes pure.' The Hanafi School of jurisprudence holds the same view with the exception of the skin of a human being and a pig.”

Besides, Al-Kaasaani said in Badaa’i’ As-Sanaa’i’, “Tanning renders all skins pure, with the exception of the skin of a human being and a pig, as was stated by Al-Karkhi.”

As regards the raccoon, we do not exactly know what this animal is, but we learned from some statements of researchers that this animal is a carnivore. So if it hunts with its canine teeth, then, according to the view of the majority of the scholars, its meat is forbidden, as it is included among the general prohibition that is mentioned in the hadeeth that was narrated by Abu Hurayrah in which the Prophet said, “It is forbidden to eat any wild animal with canine teeth [i.e. carnivores; animals of cat family such as lion, tiger, cats, dogs, wolfs, hyenas…].” [Muslim]

However, this does not prevent from benefiting from its fur as it becomes pure by tanning it, as we have already discussed.

Allaah knows best.