List of Halal Seafood

The verse 5:96 of the Quran, which says, “Lawful to you is what you capture from the sea and use for food as provision for yourselves and for the travelers,” practically all kinds of seafood are Halal.

Anything taken from the sea is halal, thus plants like seaweed are also included! Naturally, dangerous substances like toxic fish and plants or those that produce an allergic reaction are not considered halal.

I tried to search the internet and find out information regarding seafood and whether it is halal or haram for Muslims.

Islamic Rulings On Seafood

According to the Quran, it is haram to consume pig products, meat from found dead animals, amphibians, and alcoholic beverages.

Any food that doesn’t fit into one of these categories or that hasn’t been affected by one of these things is regarded as halal.

Although it is generally accepted that seafood that is caught from the sea alive is halal, some people disagree and think that fish that have previously died can also be eaten.

It’s indeed interesting to know that while all four of the major schools of Islamic thinking believe fish to be Halal, the Hanafi school of thought views other animal species as being forbidden.

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Is Fish Halal?

And not alike are the two bodies of water. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking, and one is salty and bitter. And from each you eat tender meat and extract ornaments which you wear

[Qur’an 35:12]

In general, Muslims are therefore allowed to eat any sea animals or plants.

There are, however, always exceptions. The opinions of scholars on whether or not certain sea creatures meet this requirement have varied.

Fish is indeed halal.

Is Shrimp Halal?

The majority of Islamic scholars agree that shrimp is Halal.

Most scholars agree that Muslims are allowed to eat any type of fish that can be found in water, including the sea, lakes, rivers, ponds, wells, and it includes shrimp as well.

Allah Almighty says, “The game of the sea and its food are lawful unto you.”

[Quran 5:96]

According to Shaikh Assim Al Hakeem it is safe to assume that anything is Halal unless Allah specifically declares it to be haram in the Quran.

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Is Crab Halal?

Islam considers eating crab to be halal. As long as it is not dangerous or poisonous, the majority of seafood is considered halal.

Fatwa by Dar al-Ifta al Misriyyah:

“There is no doubt as to the permissibility of eating the meat of such creatures.”

God says in the Quran: Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to eat except carrion, running blood, swine—which is impure—or a sinful offering in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—then surely your Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

[Quran 6:145]

Referring to the sea, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Its water is pure and purifying and its dead creatures are permissible to eat.” Guided by these and other texts, we maintain that crabs and similar creatures, like fish and sea mammals, are all permissible to eat even if they die of natural causes or merely by being taken out of the water.”

[source]

Since crabs fall under the category of seafood, we may confidently conclude that they are regarded as pure and are thus halal to eat.

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Is Lobster Halal?

According to some Islamic scholars, eating lobsters is permissible since Allah has commanded Muslims to consume all fish. We should understand the use of the word “fish” in this context as generic because Allah is not a forgetful being. On the other hand, some scholars argue that eating lobster is banned because it is a part of the crustacean family.

All sea species are considered halal in Islam, however, lobsters are one of the few seafood species that have generated controversy.

Therefore, it is considered halal for us to eat shrimp and lobster according to fatwa by Sheikh Ahmad Kutty.

Imams like Malik, Ash-Shafi’i, and Ahmad held this opinion. As for all kinds of fish, including shellfish, Imam Abu Hanifah and his two most important pupils, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad, similarly held the same viewpoint.

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Is Sushi Halal?

Sushi is a Japanese seafood dish made from raw salmon. Typically, rice, veggies, and a number of additional ingredients are used in its preparation.

Any fish caught in the ocean that doesn’t hurt anyone is halal. Therefore, provided that the other ingredients used to prepare the sushi are also halal, sushi is halal.

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Is Whale Halal?

While whales are not considered fish in the present biological classification, they are considered mammals. Whales are acceptable to eat from an Islamic perspective because they are still marine creatures.

“We set out in the army of Al-Khabt and Abu Ubaida was the commander of the troops. We were struck with severe hunger and the sea threw out a dead fish the like of which we had never seen, and it was called Al-`Anbar. We ate of it for half a month. Abu Ubaida took (and fixed) one of its bones and a rider passed underneath it (without touching it). (Jabir added:) Abu ‘Ubaida said (to us), “Eat (of that fish).” When we arrived at Medina, we informed the Prophet (ﷺ) about that, and he said, “Eat, for it is food Allah has brought out for you, and feed us if you have some of it.” So some of them gave him (of that fish) and he ate it.”

[source]

Is Shark Halal?

The vast majority of scholars consider shark meat to be seafood that Muslims may consume and is considered halal.

All three schools of thought Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali consider shark meat to be halal. The only school of Sunni Islam that views sharks as haram is the Hanafi school.

Although sharks are predatory animals that primarily eat meat, eating sharks is not haram. The law forbidding eating predators like tigers and lions only applies to land animals.

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Is Octopus Halal?

The octopus is typically referred to as a shellfish because it lacks several characteristics of a typical fish. As a result, it might not be halal for all Muslims to eat. Octopus is regarded as halal by certain scholars on the grounds that Allah has made everything from the sea that is healthy, and permissible for Muslims.

I found some scholars saying octopus as halal and others referring to it as haram.

Octopus is regarded as halal by the three major schools of thought, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali. The octopus is regarded as haram by the Hanafi school of thought because it does not belong to the class of fish.

You should first ask the Shaikh according to your sect and follow the rulings.

Is Frog Halal?

Frogs are not considered halal by several Islamic scholars. The fact that our beloved Prophet (PBUH) advised His followers not to kill it serves as proof. As a result, they are haram and not suitable for human consumption.

A scientific fact also supports the restriction against eating them. As biology has advanced significantly, we have learned how crucial frogs are to maintaining environmental equilibrium.

It is indeed proved that frogs are not halal.

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Is Alligator halal?

Alligators and crocodiles have been regarded as haram by numerous Islamic scholars. This is because the predators still have their fangs and they inhabit both land and water.

Even if they come directly from the sea, any animal that can cause damage is prohibited from being eaten as food in Islam.

Are Oysters Halal?

Muslim scholars differ in their opinions about oysters. The Maliki, Hanbali, and Shafi’i schools of thought all agree that oysters are halal because they are living sea creatures.

Only fish, not shellfish or other sealife, is considered halal by the Hanafi school of thinking. Oyster sauce, which is produced from them, is prohibited in jurisdictions where oysters are.

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Are Sea Turtles Halal?

Sea turtles are regarded as halal by scholars.

The Shafi’i and Hanbali thinkers added an additional clause though. According to them, for a turtle to be considered halal, it must be slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law (Zabiha). This is due to the fact that turtles have blood circulating through their body, unlike fish and crabs.

The typical Hanafi viewpoint is that sea turtles are haram seafood.

Final Thoughts

In the end, I can say that several types kinds of seafood have been made halal to Muslims by Allah but there are also some exceptions. One must read rulings and Islamic shariah according to the seafood which one likes or want to consume.

I hope this article will help all Muslims in deciding on the seafood they can and can’t eat.

And Allah Knows Best.