Question:-
Regarding the Fatwa on calamari not being permissible for Hanafis, how does one apply the Quraanic verse, which states that every creature from the sea is lawful to eat?
Does it mean that,when a person is travelling, then the verse is applicable, whilst a person at home should adopt a more stricter approach?
Answer:-
Those following the Hanafi school of thought are permitted to only consume fish from the ocean. Yes, the followers of the Shafi’ee school of thought are permitted to consume all creatures of the ocean. Their proof is the verse of the Quraan Sharif wherein Allah Ta’ala states, “Permitted for you is the prey of the sea, and eating from it is provision for you and the travellers.” [Re:- Surah Maa’idah Verse 96]
Similarly, Imaam Shafi’ee Rahimahullah uses the Hadith of Hadrat Abu Saeed Khudri Radiallahu Anhu as his proof, which states, “We, the companions of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam were once on a journey when hunger afflicted us. The ocean threw out a fish for us known as the ‘Antarah.’ We ate from it and took as provisions. When we returned to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, we asked him about it. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked, “Is there anything remaining from it, feed me (as well).”
These are the proofs of Imaam Shafi’ee Rahimahullah permitting one to consume all the creatures of the ocean, not restricting it to fish alone. The proof of the Ahnaaf is the verse of Surah An’aam (Verse 45) wherein Allah Ta’ala states that the meat of swine is Haraam. In this verse there is no mention of the land or the ocean, meaning it is a general ruling which refers to both the land as well as the ocean. This, in essence means, that if swine is found in the ocean, then it will be Haraam, and cannot be considered as Halaal simply because it is from the ocean, as the ruling of swine being Haraam is a general ruling. This brings us to the conclusion that everything in the ocean is not Halaal.
In one narration, it is recorded that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam was asked with regards to the marrow of a frog which is used in medication. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam prohibited us from killing frogs and said, “Verily it is impure, and it is from amongst the various forms of impurity.” Now, if it is proven from this narration that the frog is impure (in spite of being a creature that lives in water) and, therefore, cannot be consumed, then the same ruling and logic can be applied to all impure marine creatures, that they, too, will not be permissible to consume.
Those that state that all creatures of the ocean are permissible to eat, will definitely face a dilemma, finding no way out for them, when they are told that “humans” of the ocean may also be consumed. Hence, we come to the realization that it is only fish that may be consumed from the ocean and not everything (as understood from the verse of Surah Maa’idah).
Also, Allah Ta’ala states in verse 157 of Surah Aa’raaf, ‘And He made impurities Haraam upon them.’ Every marine creature, besides the fish, is considered as impure according to the Ahnaaf, hence, they will be impermissible to consume. Similarly, (as stated above) Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam prohibited us from utilizing medication manufactured from the frog (as the frog is considered as impure). Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam also prohibited the selling of crabs, hence, the prey of ocean being Halaal, mentioned in Surah Maa’idah, will then mean that it is permissible to hunt (catch) all marine creatures, even though it may impermissible to consume them. In this case, other forms of benefit may be derived from them.
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، وَاسْتَدَلَّ الشَّافِعِيُّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – بِالْآيَةِ وَالْخَبَرِ، وَلَيْسَ فِيهِمَا تَقْيِيدُ السَّمَكِ مِنْ بَيْنِ صَيْدِ الْمَاءِ، وَمَيْتَاتِهَا، وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – قَالَ: «كُنَّا أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – وَرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ – فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصَابَتْنَا مَجَاعَةٌ فَأَلْقَى الْبَحْرُ لَنَا دَابَّةً يُقَالُ لَهَا: عَنْتَرَةُ فَأَكَلْنَا مِنْهَا وَتَزَوَّدْنَا، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا إلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – سَأَلْنَاهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ: – صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ – هَلْ بَقِيَ عِنْدَكُمْ شَيْءٌ فَتُطْعِمُونِي» وَحُجَّتُنَا فِي ذَلِكَ قَوْله تَعَالَى {أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنْزِيرٍ} [الأنعام: 145] وَلَمْ يَفْصِلْ بَيْنَ الْبَرِّيِّ وَالْبَحْرِيِّ «، وَسُئِلَ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – عَنْ مُخِّ الضُّفْدَعِ يُجْعَلُ فِي الدَّوَاءِ فَنَهَى عَنْ قَتْلِ الضَّفَادِعِ، وَقَالَ: إنَّهَا خَبِيثَةٌ مِنْ الْخَبَائِثِ»، فَإِنْ ثَبَتَ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّ الضُّفْدَعَ مُسْتَخْبَثٌ غَيْرُ مَأْكُولٍ فَقِيسَ عَلَيْهِ سَائِرُ حَيَوَانَاتِ الْمَاءِ، وَمَنْ يَقُولُ: يُؤْكَلُ جَمِيعُ صَيْدِ الْبَحْرِ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرٌ قَبِيحٌ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَجِدُ بُدًّا مِنْ أَنْ يَقُولَ: يُؤْكَلُ إنْسَانُ الْمَاءِ، وَهَذَا تَشَنُّعٌ، فَعَرَفْنَا أَنَّ الْمَأْكُولَ مِنْ الْمَائِيِّ السَّمَكُ فَقَطْ، وَأَنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ} [المائدة: 96] مَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهُ طَرِيًّا وَمِنْ قَوْله تَعَالَى: {وَطَعَامُهُ مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ} [المائدة: 96] الْمَالِحُ الْمُقَدَّدُ مِنْهُ، وَالصَّحِيحُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ –
المبسوط السرخسي ص248 ج11
وعن الشافعي أنه أطلق ذاك كله، والخلاف في الأكل والبيع واحد لهم قوله تعالى: {أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ} [المائدة:96] من غير فصل، وقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام في البحر “هو الطهور ماؤه والحل ميتته” ولأنه لا دم في هذه الأشياء إذ الدموي لا يسكن الماء والمحرم هو الدم فأشبه السمك. قلنا: قوله تعالى: {وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمْ الْخَبَائِثَ} [الأعراف:157] وما سوى السمك خبيث. “ونهى رسول الله عليه الصلاة والسلام عن دواء يتخذ فيه الضفدع”، ونهى عن بيع السرطان والصيد المذكور فيما تلا محمول على الاصطياد وهو مباح فيما لا يحل، والميتة المذكورة فيما روى محمولة على السمك وهو حلال مستثنى من ذلك لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: “أحلت لنا ميتتان ودمان، أما الميتتان فالسمك والجراد وأما الدمان فالكبد والطحال”.
الهداية ص353 ج4
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:-
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 26 Rajab 1443 / 26 February 2022
