Are Clams Halal? The ANSWER You Need To Know

When you think of seafood, one of the things that comes to mind is probably clams. But what about their halal status? Are clams halal or harm?

In this post, we will look at the Islamic perspective on clams and discuss whether or not eating clams is halal according to Islamic law.

Are Clams Halal?

Yes, clams are halal in Islam. This is because Allah and His Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) have allowed it. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that two types of dead animals and two types of blood are halal to eat.

The types of dead animals are seafood which includes clams, lobster, crab, shrimp, and locusts. The two types of blood are the liver and the spleen.

In response to whether clams are halal or haram, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: Allah Almighty says,

“The game of the sea and its food are lawful unto you.”

Surah Al-Ma’idah verse 96

He said since neither Allah nor His Messenger excluded any type of fish from this permission and we know that “Allah is never forgetful“, the vast majority of scholars hold the view that all varieties of fish found in water (including the sea, lakes, rivers, ponds, wells, and so on) are permissible for us to consume.

The wording here is general and it should be applied generally.

In addition, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the sea, and his reply was,

“Its water is pure (for the purpose of purification rites) and its fish is lawful for you to eat.” Abu Dawud

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Why Clams Are Halal?

Basically all halal-friendly, based on what Allah SWT says in Surah 5 verse 96, “Lawful to you is what you catch from the sea and use for food as provision for yourself and for the travelers…”

Because this broadly states that what is caught from the sea is acceptable, it includes plants such as seaweed as well!

Of course, it excludes anything dangerous, such as poisonous fish and plants that cause an allergic reaction – avoiding harm always takes precedence over food permissibility.

Are Clams Halal Sunni?

The view of three Imams: Imam Malik, Imam Ash-Shafi`i and Imam Ahmad is that clams are halal in Islam. It is also the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifah and his two foremost disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad, with regard to all types of fish, including shellfish.

Shaikh Assim Al Hakeem, an Imam of a masjid in Jeddah and a graduate of Umm al-Qura University in Makkah, stated that unless Allah mentions a specific food in the Quran as haram, it is safe to assume that it is Halal.

He also mentions that there are foods that are obviously haram. This includes foods that were not slaughtered in accordance to Islamic guidelines.

Are Clams Haram?

No, clams are not Haram. It is permissible in Islam to eat clams and other sea foods. It is derived from what Allah and His beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW said in the Quran and Sunnah respectively.

Can Muslims Eat Clams?

Yes, Muslims can eat clams simply because eating lobster is halal and permissible in Islam.

To be on the safe side, the rule in this case is that in the case of animals that live both on land and in the sea, the rules concerning land animals should take precedence, so they must be slaughtered properly, except for crabs, which do not need to be slaughtered even though they live both on land and in the sea because they do not have blood.

Everything that can cause harm as food is haram or forbidden, even if it comes from the sea, because Allah says (interpretation of meaning):

“… And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you.”

Surah al-Nisa verse 29

Conclusion

To summarize, clams and all kinds of food from the sea such as crabs and shrimps are halal and permissible, whether they are plants or animals, alive or dead. However, there are certain types of water animals which are Haram and forbidden such as crocodiles, frogs, otters and turtles.