['Aalim Network QR] Catching a Fish

[Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>]

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|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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Salaamun alaykum,

	The reply to the following question was kindly provided by Moulana
Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi. 

Wasalaam,

Mustafa Rawji
Moderator, 'Aalim Network

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QUESTION:

Salam alaikum,

Once a fish is caught alive from the water should it be allowed to die 
itself (so it suffocates) or should it be killed (quickly)?

Please answer per Ayatollah Khui.

Jazak Allah.


ANSWER:

The choice is yours: either way, it will be considered halal. The main thing
is that it should die after coming in control.

Sayyid M. Rizvi

[Note: The relevant rules about catching a fish are reproduced below 
from the Masails of Ayat. Seestani, available on the web (see guidelines 
for URL)]:
   
   Hunting of Fish and Locust
    
   2624. * If a fish with scales is caught alive from water, and it dies
   thereafter, it is Pak and it is halal to eat it, even if the scales
   are shed off later due to some reasons. And if it dies in the water,
   it is Pak, but it is haraam to eat it. However, it is lawful to eat it
   if it dies in the net of the fisherman. A fish which has no scales is
   haraam even if it is brought alive from water and dies out of water.
   
   2625. If a fish falls out of water or a wave throws it out, or the
   water recedes and the fish remains on dry ground, if some one catches
   it with his hand or by some other means before it dies, it will be
   halal to eat it after it dies.
   
   2626. * It is not necessary that a person catching a fish should be a
   Muslim or should utter the name of Allah while catching it. It is,
   however, necessary that a Muslim should have seen or ascertained that
   the fish was brought alive from the water, or that it died in the net
   in water.
   
   2627. * If a dead fish about which it is not known whether it was
   caught from water alive or dead, is bought of a Muslim, it is halal,
   but if it is bought of a non-Muslim it is haraam even if he claims
   that he has brought it alive from the water; except when a man feels
   satisfied that the fish was brought alive from the water or that it
   died in the net in the water.
   
   2628. It is halal to eat a live fish but it is better to avoid eating
   it.
   
   2629. If a fish is roasted alive, or is killed out of water before it
   died itself, it is halal to eat it, but it is better to avoid eating
   it.
   
   2630. If a fish is cut into two parts out of water, and one part of it
   falls into water while it is alive, it is halal to eat the part which
   has remained out of water, and the recommended precaution is that one
   should refrain from eating it.