Shellfish, crustaceans and molluscs (including squid and octopus)

Sea animals such as shrimp, prawns, crab, lobster, clams, oysters, mussels, squid and octopus are permissible in Darul Fatwa's school (Shafi^iyy): what lives in the sea is lawful, except the frog. Scholars differ: see the note.

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Scholars differ

Darul Fatwa's school (Shafi^iyy) permits sea animals such as prawns, crab and oysters. The Hanafiyy school permits only fish.

What clears it

Nothing can clear this, because the problem is the ingredient itself.

What our sources say

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · التذكية الشرعية وتفسير قول الله تعالى:”حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ ….”

والسمك حلال كيفما وصل إلينا سواء عن طريق مجوسي أو كتابي لأن ميتة السمك حلال.

Translation “Fish is halal however it reaches us, whether through a Magian or a kitabiyy, because dead fish is halal.”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Certification Center "Halal" · Требования

Из дозволенных животных ничего не разрешено употреблять в пищу, не зарезав его, кроме морских обитателей и саранчи.

Translation “Of the permitted animals, nothing may be eaten without slaughtering it, except sea creatures and locusts.”

Page of the older WordPress site (2015); no longer online. · Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · التذكية الشرعية وتفسير قول الله تعالى:”حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ ….”

وقد ورد في القرءان حلّ أكل السّمك وصيد البحر في قوله تعالى: {أُحِلَّ لكم صيدُ البحر وطعامُه متاعا لكم}.

Translation “The permissibility of eating fish and the game of the sea is stated in the Qur‘an, in the saying of Allah, the Exalted: {Lawful to you is the game of the sea and its food, as provision for you}.”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Certification Center "Halal" · Центр сертифікації «Халяль» (home page)

Заборонених тварин, птахів, земноводних тощо, їх м'ясо та будь-які інші частини (жир, кістки, шкіра, шерсть, внутрішні органи, пір'я, пазурі, кров та ін.);

halal.ua's own English “Prohibited animals, birds, amphibians, etc., their meat and any other parts (fat, bones, skin, wool, internal organs, feathers, claws, blood, etc.);”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · التذكية الشرعية وتفسير قول الله تعالى:”حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ ….”

فمتى كان السمك يحتاج لأكله إلى ذبح؟

Translation “So since when has fish needed slaughtering in order to be eaten?”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Darulfatwa – Islamic High Council of Australia · سؤال عن اكل هذا المسمى اويستر …؟

يجوز إن ماتت. عن صدف البحر نعم يأكله إن مات بهذا فيأكله.

Translation “It is permissible if it dies. About sea shellfish: yes, he may eat it; if it dies from this, he may eat it.”

Source page · archived copy · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

All sources →

Other sources: quran.com/5/96

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