Sea food and meat of horses and donkeys

30-10-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

My question is regarding seafood. Are we permissible to eat sharks, octopus and similar fish that eat other sea creatures? Another doubt is, under what conditions are we allowed to eat horses or donkeys?

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is lawful to eat Sharks, octopus and other sea animals for the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah Says (what means): {Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for you and the travelers.}[Quran 5:96]. Also for the general meaning of the saying of Allaah (which means): {It is He who created for you all of that which is on earth.}[Quran 2:29].

In addition to these verses, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said about the sea: "Its water  purifies and its dead are lawful to eat.” [Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa'i]

It is also lawful to eat horsemeat. Asmaa'  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her said: "We slaughtered a horse during the life time of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) while we were in Madeenah and we ate its meat." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Besides, Jaabir  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said: "The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) forbade us from eating the meat of domestic donkeys and allowed us eating horse meat."

As regards the meat of domestic donkeys, it is forbidden to eat it for the above Hadeeth and for the Hadeeth reported by Al-Bukhari  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him that 'Ali Ibn Abu Taalib  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) forbade temporary marriage on the day of the battle of Khaybar and he forbade us eating the meat of donkeys.

However, it is lawful to eat the meat of wild donkeys as in principle they are lawful to eat because there is no evidence that they are forbidden to eat, and for the meaning of the Hadeeth narrated by 'Ali  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that they are lawful to eat, and for the Hadeeth that As-Sa'b Ibn Juthama  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him gifted a wild ass to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

Allaah Knows best.

www.islamweb.net