Islamic ruling on sea food

By

Mohammed Ajmal Ansari Umri

Sea food

References from Holy Quran

Anything you catch in the sea is lawful for you, and all food from it, for your enjoyment and
that of travelers… (Surat al‐Ma’ida: 96)

Fish

References from Holy Quran

When they had gone a distance further on, he said to his servant: “Bring us our morning
meal. Truly this journey of ours has made us tired.” He said: “Do you see what has
happened? When we went to find shelter at the rock, I forgot the fish …” (Surat al‐Kahf:
62‐63)

Which Sea food is halaal?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever

Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide

them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no

prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear

witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 14:If is He (Allah) Who has

subjected the sea to your service so that you may get fresh flesh from it to eat and bring

out of it articles of ornaments, which you wear.

Abu Hurairah (r.a.) related that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (saws), "O

Messenger of Allah, we sail on the ocean and we carry only a little water. If we use it for

ablution, we will have to go thirsty. May we use sea water for ablution?"Said the

Messenger of Allah (saws), "Its (the sea) water is pure and its dead (animals) are lawful

(i.e., they can be eaten without any prescribed slaughtering)."

The scales of the fish have absolutely no bearings on whether the sea-food is halaal or

haraam. All types of sea-food is considered halaal in Islam.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allahs Assistance and Guidance, and

whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of

Strength.

Beer Battered Fish:

Many food companies and restaurants manufacture or serve beer battered fried fish or potatoes
products in USA, Canada and Europe.

They use same fryers and same vegetable oil to fry both beer battered fish or potatoes and non beer
battered fish or potatoes products.

In seafood restaurants if you see beer battered under menu then please do not order any fried fish such
as Red Lobster and other sea food restaurants.

Similarly frozen fried fish and frozen fried potato brands such as Gorton, Van De Kemps, McCain,
Or-Ida make frozen beer battered fried fish and fried potato. So non beer battered frozen are
contaminated with beer because beer cannot be removed from frying vegetable oil. The oil is recycled
to remove only large and small particles of products left over in the oil. So all their non beer battered
fried are contaminated with beer in the batter. The grilled or broiled frozen fish or potato products are
not contaminated with beer. But make sure those products are Halal.