Is it haram to kill insects like mosquitoes and cockroaches?

The four schools agree on this.

Explanation

The Prophet ﷺ said: five creatures are harmful, and they may be killed even inside the sacred area: the crow, the kite, the scorpion, the mouse and the rabid dog. If these may be killed in the Haram, where hunting is forbidden, they may be killed anywhere. Scholars extend the ruling to every creature that harms by its nature, like mosquitoes, wasps, cockroaches, bedbugs, lice, ticks and rats. Al-Hidaya says a pilgrim owes nothing for killing mosquitoes, fleas or ticks, because they are harmful by nature.

So you may:

• swat mosquitoes and flies and use repellents and nets;
• call pest control for cockroaches, bedbugs, termites or rodents;
• use traps and baits for mice and rats;
• kill a wasp or hornet that threatens you or your children.

Limits:

• No fire: the Prophet ﷺ said only the Lord of the fire punishes with fire. Do not set insects alight or burn nests when other methods work.
• No needless suffering: Allah has prescribed excellence in everything, including killing. Prefer quick methods; glue traps that leave animals to die slowly should be a last resort.
• Leave harmless creatures alone: butterflies, ladybirds and bees doing no harm should not be killed for fun. Bees and ants have their own hadith (see killing ants).

Children should be taught early not to squash bugs for fun. The four schools agree on these principles. See also is it haram to kill spiders and killing lizards.

The evidence

Where the ruling is recorded

• al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, chapter on violations (jinayat). A pilgrim may kill harmful creatures and owes nothing for killing mosquitoes, fleas and ticks, as they harm by nature.
• al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, chapter on killing animals. Harmful creatures may be killed; burning them is disliked.

Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.