Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamalaikum wa rahmatullahi wa baraatuhu. I have read all you Q/A session and I have something to ask you on the topic of Seafood halal/haraam, I wish to know if lobsters are halal for us? they are people arguing on this topic saying it is halal in Arab countries and haraam in the Asian Countries. Because Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.S) had sent the Sahabah`s in different parts of the world and wherever they visited according to the situation of the country, they recommeded the Asian countries lobsters haraam and Arab countries the eating of lobsters halal. I want you to explain this in the light of Quraan and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.S). so that I can explain them with a valid proof. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Asian arab lobster –Haraam or halaal

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Only Allah and His Messenger (saws) have the authority to declare something halaal or haraam for the believers. And the Messenger of Allah (saws) said in an authentic narration that even the dead of the sea animals, are halaal for the believers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 14:It is He (Allah) Who has subjected the sea to your service so that you may get fresh flesh from it to eat and bring out of it articles of ornaments, which you wear.

Abu Hurairah (r.a.) related that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (saws), "O Messenger of Allah, we sail on the ocean and we carry only a little water. If we use it for ablution, we will have to go thirsty. May we use sea water for ablution?" Said the Messenger of Allah (saws), "Its (the sea) water is pure and its dead (animals) are lawful (i.e., they can be eaten without any prescribed slaughtering)."

All the animals that primararily live in water, are halaal for the believers…whether they are caught alive, or dead. Lobsters and crabs primararily live in water, and are thus absolutely halaal for the believers as food.

The lobsters or any food’s legality is not determined by their origin being Arab or Asian or African, etc.! There is absolutely no authentic tradition where the Asian lobsters have been declared haraam and the Arab lobsters have been declared halaal! All types of sea-food are halaal for the believers, no matter which geographical area they originate from.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan