Can Muslims eat sharks?

Question:

Do we have permission to eat sharks? The possession of man-eating animals seemed to be against Islamic law.

Answer:

According to the four Sunni schools of Islamic law, the answer given earlier is accurate. All four major Sunni Madhabs agree that it is Halal to eat any sort of fish because the Qur’an and Sunnah allows it.

Allah Most High, the All-Wise and All-Knowing, gave us a special dispensation to consume all sorts of fish without Islamic slaughtering. Fish is exempt from the rule against eating deceased animals, even if it was a man-eater.

Allah Most High says:

You may fish and eat it for yourself and travelers. In the eyes of the Hanafi Mujtahids, this passage solely applies to fish and not to any other kind of animal.

Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abd Allah (Allah be pleased with him) stated, “The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) sent 300 troops to the sea-coast and made Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah (Allah be pleased with him) their commander” (men).

Due to the above-mentioned and other Sunnah evidence, it is permissible to consume all fish, including sharks and whales. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and his blessed Companions (Allah be pleased with them) ate fish several times. A famous Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and elsewhere allows eating sharks and whales.

Hadith:

Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abd Allah (Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) dispatched 300 troops to the sea-coast and selected Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah (Allah be pleased with him) as their commander (men). We’d traveled ways when our food and supplies ran out. So Abu Ubayda had all the troops’ food collected.

Dates sustained us throughout the voyage, and Abu Ubayda generously distributed his daily portion to us until there was nothing left but a single date for each of us. The question came from me (Jabir): “How did you survive on one date?” He stated, “When even that was over, we saw its importance.” At the coast, Jabir said, “we came across a fish the size of a small mountain.

Over the course of 18 nights, the people (or armies) fed off of it (i.e. days). Then Abu Ubayda gave the order to place two of its ribs on the ground (to make an arch) and ride a she-camel under them. That’s why it went just below them without harming a single one of them.

Is shark halal in Islam?

Yunus was the name of a faithful man of God. A prophet sent by Allah Ta’ala.

Historically, the prophet Yunus uprooted his family and moved to a new location so he might better represent his people. As he traveled, he got on a boat.

However, he did not rely on Allah Pak’s speculation before setting out on this trip. This caused displeasure in the eyes of Allah Ta’ala.

God intended a mild punishment for him. For this reason, Yunus Nabi’s boat was unable to move from its current location.

The boatmen come up with a solution after some back-and-forth bargaining. They believe a runaway slave is on board.

Without throwing the escaping slave into the water, the ship won’t be able to dock on shore.

This word triggers a realization in Yunus Nabi that he is a runaway slave. This is because he was trying to escape without Allah’s blessing.

Therefore, he agreed to be cast into the water. It was unacceptable to the other boaters, however.

So, the lottery is no longer a viable option. Three times Yunus Nabi’s name was picked in a lottery. Sooner or later, he made the decision to plunge into the ocean.

Point No 2

When he hit the water, a massive marine fish rushed over and ate him whole. The fish was indeed following orders from Allah Ta’ala.

People say a fly ate the prophet Yunus, but others say a shark did it. Because aquatic creatures range greatly in size, form, and behavior.

Tales of terror and adventure involving sharks abound. Which truly piques one’s interest in these fascinating creatures.

Whether or not sharks belong to the family of fish is a topic of much debate. Can we rule out the possibility that it’s a dangerous marine creature?

And this begs the issue, is shark halal? among Muslims. In Islam, is it permissible to eat sharks? The solution to that puzzle will be the topic of today’s conversation.

Is shark halal in Islam?

Except for those species that have been shown to be harmful to human health, and those that are specifically forbidden in the Quran and Hadith, all marine species are considered halal by Muslims.

It follows that sharks are permitted in the Islamic faith. Eating sharks is no problem at all for us. It is permissible to eat all marine species, including whales, crabs, turtles, octopuses, snails, and the like.

Some aquatic animals, such as frogs, crocodiles, and so on, are considered unclean by Muslims. Because there are several evident ways in which things are restricted.

Shark eating is halal and its evidence

Both the Qur’an and the Hadith explicitly sanction the consumption of all aquatic life, including:

In the Holy Quran, Allah Ta’ala says:

As of right now, you can eat fish and other aquatic life without getting in trouble.

In another verse Allah Ta’ala says 

According to what I’ve learned, the only haram foods are those derived from a dead animal, flowing blood, or pig’s meat. Just because it’s dirty doesn’t make it okay.

Provision of sea frogs

Consumption of sea frogs is prohibited in Islam. Since doing so is explicitly disallowed in hadith.

Who was the doctor who inquired about the medicinal potential of frogs to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? Killing it was against his orders.

Shari’ah prohibits killing and eating animals. Halal law allows slaughtering only if sharia law allows it.

Provision of a crocodile eating

The imams had differing opinions on the crocodile. Imam Abu Hanifa, Shafi’i, Ahmad bin Humble, and the vast majority of other Imams forbade the consumption of crocodile meat. Just halal, as decreed by Imam Malik.

Hadith forbids hunting large-clawed animals. “Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):

Islam prohibits eating wild animals with sharp teeth.