Consuming and selling dead fish
Question
I have a pond full of fish which I sell. Last month, I did not harvest my fish on time due to which more than a hundred fish died. These fish died due to lack of oxygen and not due to some sickness. Will it be permissible to eat these fish and/or sell them?
Answer
The Kitaabs of Fiqh state that a fish that dies in water due to a natural disaster may still be eaten. However, if the fish dies a natural death and is floating on the surface of the water (with the stomach being on top) then it cannot be eaten.
In your particular instance, if the fish died a natural death as explained above, then it cannot be eaten nor sold. However, if the back of the dead fish is on top, then it may be eaten and it may be sold in this instance.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
(ولا) يحل (حيوان مائي إلا السمك) الذي مات بآفة ولو متولدا في ماء نجس ولو طافية مجروحة وهبانية (غير الطافي) على وجه الماء الذي مات حتف أنفه وهو ما بطنه من فوق، فلو ظهره من فوق فليس بطاف فيؤكل كما يؤكل ما في بطن الطافي، وما مات بحر الماء أو برده ويربطه فيه أو إلقاء شئ فموته بآفة. (رد المحتار ص306/307 ج6)
- Answered by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai
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