About Crab and Shrimp

[hamid]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

I need to know about Crab and Shrimp / Prawn / Lobster, are they halal or Not?
Please reply in detail.

Wassalam,

Hamid.

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam



Jazak'allah for your question. As far as prawns are concerned, then a detailed meaning of what they are, and whether they are edible, is given in the Ask Imam Archives under 'Halal & Haram', with the heading 'eat prawns?'


Furthermore, these foods are debatable foods as some scholars say that they are mubah, meaning they are niether sinful nor non sinful. Others say that they are haram, for example Imam Shafi'i Rehmatullahi ’Alaih. However, the question that arises, is that are we so limited to crab, shrimp, and lobster, that there is no other food available? Or do we want to consume these because thay are a luxury in the western world, and we must try them?


Whatever your answer is, a hadith of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam states that:


'The halal has been made clear, and the haram has been made clear, between the two are the 'mushtabih' (doubtful) goods. Steer away from these doubtful goods, as you may be grazing your herd where they are not supposed to. Be aware! there is a part of flesh in you if it is healthy the whole body stays healthy, and if it starts to rot, then the whole body will rot. Know that that part of the flesh is the heart.'


It is these types of hadith which lead us to think that foods such as lobster, crab, and shrimp had not been the food of the Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, nor of the Prophets, nor of the Pious Predecessors. Therefore, we should try and divulge into those foods which are sunnah to eat, as well as being halal, and try not to consume those foods that have not been prescribed to us, nor eaten by them, and are regarded as 'mushtabih'.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi


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