Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Subject: Is there a way to slaughter marine animals?

Dear Brother Burhan

Assalam alaikoum

I was just wondering if there is an Islamic way for slaughtering marine animals like fish etc. because for land animals we have to say takbeer and then do zabiha?

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Answer:

Slaughter of Marine animals sea food

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:

It 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)."

All the animals that primararily live in water, are halaal for the believers regardless of whether they are caught dead or alive, by a believer or a disbeliever. There is no method of slaughtering sea animals prescribed by Shariah, and all its creatures have been made permissible as food for the believers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan