Hanafi Fiqh
Muslim Knowledge Guide China: Hanafi Shrimp Ruling, Halal Seafood and Islamic Food Rules
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 9 views • 6 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living? view all
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living? view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living?
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living?
Muslim Knowledge Guide China: Hanafi Shrimp Ruling, Halal Seafood and Islamic Food Rules
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 9 views • 6 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living? view all
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living? view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living?
Summary: This Muslim knowledge guide explains the Hanafi debate on eating shrimp, views from the four Sunni schools, classical scholar opinions, South Asian and Turkish practice, the broader halal seafood principle, and how Islamic food rulings affect daily Muslim life.
What Is the Hanafi School's View on Eating Shrimp? is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
About a dozen years ago, when I posted photos of myself eating seafood on social media, some people would leave comments asking if the shrimp in the meal was halal. The people questioning me claimed that the Hanafi school of law forbids eating shrimp and crab. As someone who is self-taught and never attended a formal school, I believe in learning from all sources and taking the best from everyone. I do not blindly follow one specific school of thought, so using the Hanafi label to pressure me does not convince me. However, I was curious about how the Hanafi school explains the issue of shrimp, so I looked up some information and found that the matter is not simple.
In fact, regarding whether shrimp can be eaten, three of the four major schools of Islamic law clearly state that shrimp is permissible. Only some Hanafi scholars classify shrimp as forbidden. Note that I am referring to some Hanafi scholars, not all of them.
The Hanafi school holds that among water animals, only fish are permissible to eat, and all others are not. This view includes animals from the ocean and is a consensus within the Hanafi school with no disagreement.
However, within the Hanafi school, there is a difference of opinion on whether shrimp can be eaten. One group of Hanafi scholars believes that all sea animals are fish, and therefore shrimp are fish. This is also the view of the Shafi'i school. Scholars who hold this view include Hadhrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani.
Scholars who support eating shrimp believe that the definition of 'fish' should not be based on biological classification or dictionary definitions, as these change over time. Instead, it should be based on how ancient Arabs understood 'fish,' and ancient Arabs often grouped shrimp and fish together.
The Hanafi jurist Ibn Abidin said that only seafood that the Arabs considered 'fish' is permitted for consumption. Scholars who hold this view also include Radd al-Muhtar. Other scholars include Ibn al-Humam and Al-Marghinani, authors of Fath al-Qadir 'ala al-Hidayah.
Some Hanafi scholars also take into account the views of the other three schools—Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali—which all permit eating shrimp, and therefore argue that the Hanafi school should be lenient in its ruling.
According to Allama Damiri, shrimp are fish. Based on this, Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi issued a ruling that shrimp is halal (Imdaadul Fataawa, Volume 3, Page 50). This is also the ruling of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi, Mufti ‘Abdul Rahim Lajpuri, and others.
On the other hand, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah be pleased with him) did not consider shrimp to be fish, so he did not permit eating them. (Fataawa Rashidiyya, Volume 2, Page 122). Mawlana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi 'Alaihi held the same opinion. (Tazkiratul Khaleel, Page 200).
At the start of this article, I mentioned that over ten years ago, there were occasional online comments questioning seafood like shrimp. These have basically disappeared over the years. I think this has a lot to do with people's improved knowledge and the fact that the information we can access is becoming richer. In South Asia, where the Hanafi school is dominant, eating shrimp has always been very common. However, it is forbidden in Turkey, which is also Hanafi. This shows that it is not true, as some of us claim, that all Hanafi followers cannot eat shrimp.
Actually, deciding whether a food is permissible is not a complicated issue. According to the general principle, only foods explicitly mentioned as forbidden in the scriptures are off-limits; everything else is allowed. For details, see the list of non-halal foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
It is easy for a scholar to label a food as illegal; they just have to say the word. But this creates unnecessary difficulties for everyone. Just imagine if a scholar who forbids eating shrimp and crab appeared in a Southeast Asian island nation—how would the local fishermen make a living?