Question
What is your point of view regarding carnivorous fishes like sharks and carnivorous whales etc. Will they fall under the same category as carnivorous animals on land?
Answer
Man has generally grouped, primarily, carnivorous and predatory animals as inedible items or with items which are naturally not meant for eating. There is no reason why predatory fish should be considered an exception.
It should, however, be kept in mind that the prohibitions of the Shari`ah are limited to the four items specifically mentioned in the Qur’an. As for the primarily carnivorous and predatory animals, these fall in the category of natural prohibitions, rather than the prohibitions of the Shari`ah. Furthermore, it should also be kept in mind that even though there has generally not been any significant deviation in the various societies relating to these ‘natural’ prohibitions, yet there may exist some variations in this sphere based either on the general acceptance of a deviation over time or on a difference of understanding of a particular people.
Nevertheless, in my opinion, like the birds of prey, any fish belonging to the predatory category should also be grouped with inedible items.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Moiz Amjad
March 6, 2002