Is it permissible to consume octopus, crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, etc.)? How do I answer other Muslims on the issue of machine slaughter?

Question

As salaamu ’alaykum,

This question comes up a lot and I tend to get confused whenever I have to answer it. So I would like to know the exact ruling on octopus, crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, etc.).  

How do I answer other Muslims on the issue of machine slaughter? I usually say it is because the animal is getting tortured but they argue saying that it’s fine if it dies that instant. I have even heard of cases where some Muslims consider McDonald’s chicken halal.

Answer

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما

The answers to your queries may be found below:

  1. According to the Hanafi Madhab, the only sea-animals permissible to consume is fish. Therefore, octopus, crab, lobster etc. would be prohibited. However, when it comes to shrimp, there are different opinions amongst the ‘ulama whether shrimp is classified as a fish or not. According to our research, however, shrimp does not classify as a fish and thus cannot be consumed.

  1. Machine-slaughtered chicken does not qualify as halal according to most scholars. The reasons  machine-slaughtered chicken does not meet halal standards is as follows:  

  1. In a slaughterhouse, usually the chickens are hung upside down on a moving belt and are dipped into cold water which has an electric current running through it. This is done to make the chicken stiff so that the blade can cut the throat with ease. But sometimes the shock causes the heart of the chicken to stop, thus causing the animal to die before it is slaughtered
  2.  The chicken is run through moving blades which usually cuts the throat, but sometimes the blade does not cut the throat properly or misses it completely, thus not fulfilling the condition of zabiha.
  3. The name of Allah is not recited upon each animal at the time of slaughter. Rather, the name of Allah is recited once at the beginning of the day or the name of Allah is recited by a third-party who isn’t actually performing the slaughter himself.

    3) Meat offered at McDonald’s has nothing to do with this discussion on machine          slaughter, as their meat is processed in slaughter houses that have absolutely no concern of halal and haram.

والله اعلم

And Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala knows best.

Mosa Khan

 

Approved by Mufti Husain Ahmad Madani