Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

Is it permissible to consume whales and sharks?

Published as Consuming Whales And Sharks

· 26 Rabiʻ I 1447 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

Is it permissible to consume whales and sharks?

Answer

According to the Hanafi school of thought, we are only permitted to consume fish from the ocean. Hence, sharks are permissible to consume as they are classified as fish. However, it is not permissible to eat whales as they are mammals and do not fall under the category of fish.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

ولا يؤكل من حيوان الماء إلا السمك، ويكره أكل الطافي منه ولا بأس بأكل الجريث والمار ما هي

اللباب ص 231

(وَلَا) يَحِلُّ (حَيَوَانٌ مَائِيٌّ إلَّا السَّمَكُ) الَّذِي مَاتَ بِآفَةٍ وَلَوْ مُتَوَلِّدًا فِي مَاءٍ نَجِسٍ

(الدر المختار 6/306)

وَالْمُسْتَوْحَشُ نَوْعَانِ: مِنْهَا صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ لَا يَحِلُّ تَنَاوُلُ شَيْءٍ مِنْهَا سِوَى السَّمَكِ

(المبسوط 11/22)

ثُمَّ جَمِيعُ أَنْوَاعِ السَّمَكِ حَلَالٌ الْجِرِّيثُ وَالْمَارِهِيجُ وَغَيْرُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ سَوَاءٌ، وَلَا يُؤْكَلُ مِنْ سِوَى السَّمَكِ مِنْ حَيَوَانَاتِ الْمَاءِ عِنْدَنَا، وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – يُؤْكَلُ جَمِيعُ ذَلِكَ، وَلَهُ فِي الضُّفْدَعِ قَوْلَانِ، وَفِي الْكِتَابِ ذَكَرَ عَنْ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – قَالَ: لَا بَأْسَ بِصَيْدِ الْبَحْرِ كُلِّهِ، وَقِيلَ: الصَّحِيحُ فِي مَذْهَبِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – مَا يُؤْكَلُ جِنْسُهُ مِنْ صَيْدِ الْبَرِّ يُؤْكَلُ مِنْ صَيْدِ الْبَحْرِ، وَمَا لَا يُؤْكَلُ مِنْ صَيْدِ الْبَرِّ كَالْخِنْزِيرِ وَنَحْوِهِ لَا يُؤْكَلُ مِنْ صَيْدِ الْبَحْرِ،

(المبسوط 11/248)

وقال شيخ الإسلام خواهر زاده: ويكره أكل ما سوى السمك من دواب البحر عندنا كالسرطان، والسلحفاة، والضفدع

(البنايه 11/604)

Answered by
Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani
Checked & approved by
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/consuming-whales-and-sharks/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-39927

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