Why do Muslims eat fish that dies naturally but not animals that do not?
Most Muslims adhere to strict dietary laws that can seem quite specific but, once understood, their wisdom is apparent. As we’re going to explain, the reason we eat fish after it has died naturally but do not eat goats, cattle or chickens that have died naturally all boils down to an explicit ruling found in Islamic texts.
When a new neighbor moving into our neighborhood realized that, while it might not be quite an ‘uncommon’ thought process, not one Muslim he knew would consume a cow or a chicken, even a perfectly fit and healthy one at that, who’d passed away in its slumber, he found himself quite intrigued by this discrepancy. He asked, “Isn’t that something?” as most seemed fairly clear on the fact that any animal to have perished as such couldn’t be eaten. However, his reasoning for why fish are differentiated from the aforementioned slaughtered animals fell through when I offered it as proof: the Qur’anic prohibition of dead isn’t the one rule applied to all animals.
What does Islam say about “dead fish”?
For Muslims, the prohibition against consuming dead-animals which have died of natural causes, such as a natural death or as an aborted fetus, prior to ritual slaughter is as follows:
In the Qur’an:
“He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.” Quran 2:173. Similar prohibitions can be found in 5:3.
This means that if a cow or goat or any land animal naturally passes away and has not undergone Islamic slaughter, it is unlawful for any Muslim to consume its flesh. In other words, if you ever happened upon a lifeless livestock you would probably ignore it as more would ignore, for instance, found animal’s carcase in a jungle or sea
So now, why the distinction between livestock and marine animals?
When it comes to the ocean, its rulings are a bit of a special case. Muslims are allowed to eat ‘sea food’ according to Allah’s words in the Qur’an:
“…lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for you…” Qur’an 5:96.
Not only are sea animals considered safe for consumption while even while dead there is an excerpt in a Hadith narrated in one of the six authentic Hadith compilations in Sunnan Abi Dawood:
“He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘The sea…its water is pure and its dead are lawful’”
Hence this is why Muslims may eat fish that has died natural, or died after it’s catch from an ocean or a river; this because the distinction does not rely on one concept, i.e. All animal needs to be alive and then slaughtered but the reason comes on a different religious decree for difference of species of animals, including even different species of land animal are treated different as not all land animals are edible.
Why don’t Muslims need to slaughter fish?
Any cow, goat or chicken must be ritually slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law for Muslims to be able to eat their meat. However, an exception exists in Islam for fish, as any found dead caught from the sea, a river or any permitted source can be consumed without ritual slaughter. That’s exactly why eating dead fish is not regarded in Islam as in contradicting to avoiding dead livestock such as goat, cows or chickens. Similar practices to those for marine and certain land animals can be observed where any suitable species is deemed lawful and consumable whether dead or alive, as long as they adhere to Islamic guidelines.
Are all non-halal fish like pigs eaten?
Like “the flesh of swine,” there are certain marine animals considered by some scholars as prohibited in Islam to consume; as not all animals of the sea considered lawful in Islam. So for example, some scholars consider animals like octopi or lobsters to fall in to classification of disliked species in Islamic diet. As most of marine and land animal do not go under prescribed method for sl Slaughtering as its considered lawful if caught as for some marine species there remains difference of opinion amongst scholars.
This example shows how it is not about merely preferring to keep things simple. However, as we always do, the reasoning must be rooted and justified by evidence from Islam, in this case; the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah or authentic teachings of ProphetMuhammad (peace be upon him); rather than trying to justify the food through modern science or biological interpretations that may change over time
What About Blood?
Another topic related to food ethics that is also discussed concerning slaughter laws, is the rule concerning drinking animal blood. Islamic prohibition regarding “flowing blood,” states clearly, “Or blood poured forth.” {6:145}, hence while during the Islamic method of slaughter the animal is’ permitted’ to bleed the ritualistically cleansed blood from the meat can never be consumed.
As can be see here, an animal may not eat in an Islamic society, as it is defined as ”dead “; it is, however, by Islam considered permissible for any one to eat fish caught dead even if not slaughtered. The key point is that Islamic rules aren’t based on singular concepts but apply and treat each aspect differently according to relevant ruling given in Islam.
Does this point to dietary laws related to health, safety and hygiene?
Trying to make these rulings about modern scientific, hygienic or even health based reasoning, we tend to confuse these divine commands, the principles they are built upon and a very simplified reason of whether an animal died or slaughtered. The intention of every prohibition and concession by our Rabb goes far beyond the obvious for mankind will continue to evolve, and, therefore, our understanding will never fully comprehend the ultimate divine reason of everything that our Creator orders or forbids in the universe, so even the reasons of health issues can change or may be it was to protect man from a long term threat which even scientific researches did not recognize at all.
So, Islam has made it clear in its holy scripture: not all land animal’s meat even after slaughtered in acceptable way might be made lawfully for consumption; also some water species aren’t permitted to eat by Muslims due to lack of the mentioned rulings to either of the above. Some marine species are permissible when found dead while not slaughtered and others not so this is to be expected.
To summarize, in Islam when you come across “dead”, for any species, if you don’t consider them slaughtered under Islam Shariah or permissible from the sea according to the Qur’an and authentic Hadeeth; you don’t eat them regardless of if they are ‘living’ and killed at your command or in your process. Hence to justify food ethics in Islam one should go through the relevant divine text of the Qur'an and the genuine teachings of the Noble Prophet (PBUH); instead of explaining individual issues on a modern science/hygienic context which may alter, mislead, complicate and result not having correct understanding of the reason for dietary laws in Islam.
This is only for Islamic knowledge informations not for hurting others.