Are jelly fish Halaal to consume?

Published as Jelly fish

· 19 Jumada I 1444 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

Are jelly fish Halaal to consume?

Answer

According to the Hanafi school of thought, we are only permitted to consume fish from the ocean.[1]. This means that octopus, oysters, clams and crabs are impermissible to consume even though they may be living in the water, whilst sharks, cod, salmon etc. are permissible to consume as they are classified as fish[2].

A ‘Fish’ is defined as a limbless vertebrate animal, with gills and fins living wholly in water.

With regards to ‘Jelly Fish’, they are not categorized as fish even though they are called ‘jelly-fish’, hence they are not suitable for consumption according to the Hanafi school of thought.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

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

231 اللباب ص

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

(الدر المختارص٣٠٦ – ج٦)

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

(المبسوط ج١١ -ص٢٢)

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 ج١١ص٢٤٨)

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

(604البنايه ج ١١ص)

Checked & approved by
Mufti Mohammed Desai
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