Fatwa ID: 03366

Answered by: Alimah Sabrina al-Faarsiyyah​

Question

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

I understand that when slaughtering a land animal we must slaughter them cutting 3 veins to let the blood flow out and for fish, it is just the slaughter and no issues with the drainage of the blood. Is this correct and if so, is this because fish blood is not classed as impure or we just don't drain the blood or need to do so as an Islamic requirement. Many thanks.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

Answer

Wa Alaikum Salam,

Fish and locusts do not have to be slaughtered. Slaughtering here refers to the Shar’i (legal) definition of slaughtering which is to actually sacrifice the animal by cutting its neck between the larynx and the chest and severing at least three of the four vessels: trachea, oesophagus, and the two carotid arteries.^[1]

There can be many reasons as to why fish do not have to be slaughtered, the fact that this is the exception that Allah Ta’ala has made for us should suffice us. The Prophet (Salla llaahu alayhi wa sallam) has said: “Two carrions are made Halal for us; Fish and locust.” Also, the blood of fish is pure.^[2]

Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best

Written by Alimah Sabrina al-Faarsiyyah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Iftā Birmingham

^[1]Allamah Ibnu Abidin, Raddul Muhtar 9/490, Al-Maktabatu ‘l-Ashrafiyyah + Ascent to Felicity pg.173, White Thread

(حُرِّمَ) (حَيَوَانٌ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ الذَّبْحُ) خَرَجَ السَّمَكُ وَالْجَرَادُ فَيَحِلَّانِ بِلَا ذَكَاةٍ،

^[2]Imam Kasani, Bada’iu ‘s-Sana’i 1/61, DKI

 وَعِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَمُحَمَّدٍ طَاهِرٌ لِإِجْمَاعِ الْأُمَّةِ عَلَى إبَاحَةِ تَنَاوُلِهِ مَعَ دَمِهِ، وَلَوْ كَانَ نَجِسًا لَمَا أُبِيحَ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِدَمٍ حَقِيقَةً بَلْ هُوَ مَاءٌ تَلَوَّنَ بِلَوْنِ الدَّمِ؛ لِأَنَّ الدَّمَوِيَّ لَا يَعِيشُ فِي الْمَاءِ، وَالدَّمُ الَّذِي يَبْقَى فِي الْعُرُوقِ وَاللَّحْمِ بَعْدَ الذَّبْحِ طَاهِرٌ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمَسْفُوحٍ وَلِهَذَا حَلَّ تَنَاوُلُهُ مَعَ اللَّحْمِ…وَرُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ أَنَّهُ مَعْفُوٌّ فِي الْأَكْلِ غَيْرُ مَعْفُوٍّ فِي الثِّيَابِ لِتَعَذُّرِ الِاحْتِرَازِ عَنْهُ فِي الْأَكْلِ وَإِمْكَانِهِ فِي الثَّوْبِ

Imam Sarakhsi, Al-Mabsut 1/87, Daru ‘l-Ma’rifah

وَكَذَلِكَ دَمُ السَّمَكِ لَيْسَ بِشَيْءٍ يَعْنِي لَيْسَ بِنَجِسٍ، وَقَدْ بَيَّنَّا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِدَمٍ حَقِيقَةً