There is a wide variety of seafood available to humanity. We all enjoy delicious white meat sourced from the seas but almost every individual loves tastier shrimps. Shrimps’ meat is almost protein and water along with some other great nutrients. Besides having a rich-nutrient profile, shrimps are also tastier and are considered an esteemed delicacy worldwide.
Though shrimps are tastier than fish but they are not categorized as fish because of obvious differences. Fish possesses an internal skeleton, a central nervous system, and fins, and have a well-defined head, neck, and body. On the other hand, shrimps have limbs and an exoskeleton.
Scientifically, shrimps belong to crustaceans and are classed with other shellfish like lobsters. Prawn which is also taken as shrimp by most people is actually another organism from crustaceans. Technically, Shrimp belong to the sub-order Pleocyemata, and prawns belong to the sub-order Dendrobranchiata.
Whatsoever their origin, shrimp is a delicacy that is in demand for decades. Like other countries around the globe, shrimps are also in demand in the UK and the UK Muslim community also likes its meat very much. In this blog, we will discuss whether shrimp meat is halal or haram in Islam, so keep in touch.
Islamic Verdict About Halal/Haram Seafood
Quran and Sunnah are the two fundamental sources of guidance for the Muslims of every country and region of this globe. Both of these two primary guidance sources contain timeless principles that modern Muslims follow without any hesitation.
Allah (SWT), in Surah Al Ma’idah, has ordered the seafood.
“It is lawful for you to hunt and eat seafood, as a provision for you and for travelers. But hunting on land is forbidden to you while on pilgrimage. Be mindful of Allah to Whom you all will be gathered.” (Quran 5:96)
(Source of above-cited Quranic Verse https://quran.com/5/96)
According to the above-mentioned verse, seafood is permissible to eat. Similarly, in Surah Al Baqarah Allah (SWT), has clarified the halal and haram food for Muslims.
“He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Quran 2:173)
(Source of above-cited Quranic Verse https://quran.com/2/173?translations=84,17,95,101,22,20)
This Quranic verse is the guiding principle for distinguishing halal food from haram in Islam. According to this verse of the Holy Quran, carrion, i.e., dead meat, blood, and swine (pig) meat, is haram. And also, if a halal animal is not slaughtered according to the established Islamic Zabihah method and if the animal is dedicated to any other except Allah, then the such halal animal will become haram.
According to this verse, if a sea animal is already dead in the sea, then it will be haram.
Is Shrimp Halal or Haram
Though shrimps are not considered halal in Islam their halal status is also subject to intense debate in various Islamic schools of thought. According to three out of the four schools of thought (Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbalis) in Sunni Islam consider shellfish to be halal. These schools maintain that all non-harmful shellfish are halal to eat. And shrimp is a shellfish and non-harmful so according to these schools of thought, eating shrimps is permissible.
On the other hand, the Hanafi school of thought considers all shellfish to be makrooh (detestable). So, according to the Hanafi school of thought, shrimps are though not haram but they don’t advise consuming it.
Summing it Up
The Holy Quran and Sunnah are the two primary sources of guidance for all Muslim populace. So, in light of the Quran and Sunnah, eating shrimps is permissible as long as you catch them live from their habitat.
But due to differences in opinion among jurists of various schools of thought, it is advisable to seek guidance from an established Islamic scholar who can make an informed decision based on the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah.
