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:

asak

dear brother burhan

u replied in this email " All sea-food is halaal, whether it be fish, crabs, lobster, prawns, etc." i heared from the ulamas only fish is halal, whereas crabs is not halal and prawns, reference. if it is halal kindly provide proof or evedance from the hadeeth.

regds,

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Answer:

Proof for halaal 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.

Beloved brother in Islam, only Allah and His Messenger (saws) have a right to declare a thing haraam or halaal! No one, of his own whim and fancy can declare a thing haraam or halaal from himself.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 87-88:

87 O ye who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, but commit no excess: for Allah loveth not those given to excess.

88 Eat of the things which Allah hath provided for you lawful and good: but fear Allah in Whom ye believe.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 116: But say not for any false thing that your tongues may put forth "This is lawful and this is forbidden" so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah will never prosper.

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 (even) its dead (animals) are lawful (i.e., they can be eaten without any prescribed slaughtering)."

In light of the above Aayah of Surah Nahl verse 14, and the authentic narration of the Messenger of Allah (saws), all sea-food is halaal for the believers; be they fish, crabs, lobsters, prawns, etc.

In determining the haraam / halaal, Allah and His Messenger (saws) have not provided the believers with the list of halaal foods; for that list is indeed limitless. Allah and His Messenger (saws) have provided a list of only haraam foods; and whatever is not found in the list of haraam foods, will be considered halaal for the believers.

The ‘usool’ or principle in determining something haraam/halaal in Islam is look for the food in the haraam list; if it is not found in the haraam list, that food will be considered halaal and lawful for the believers.

Your Question: if it is halal kindly provide proof or evedance from the hadeeth.

The burden of proof is on the person who declares a food haraam; for the list of halaal foods is not provided by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

For example, nowhere has it been said that carrots are halaal as food! But because it is not found in the list of haraam foods, it is considered halaal as food for the believers.

Similarly, nowhere in the Quran and Sunnah does is say that the meat of Turkey, or Duck, or Peacock, or Pigeon, etc. is halaal as food! But because it is not found in the list of haraam foods, it is absolutely legal as food for the believers.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) explicitly made lawful all food from the sea, without exception. Thus, the burden of proof will be on the person who declares any type of sea-food haraam!

Your Statement: i heared from the ulamas only fish is halal, whereas crabs is not halal and prawns.

Beloved brother, we must realize that just as it is a huge sin to declare halaal something which Allah and His Messenger (saws) have declared as haraam (eg. Wine, swine, etc.); it is also a huge sin to declare haraam something which Allah and His Messenger (saws) have not declared haraam!

The ‘ulema’ who says that crabs and prawns are haraam, must provide evidence from the Quran and Sunnah for their forbiddance; and if they are not able to do so, that food will be considered absolutely halaal 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. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan