Is Salmon Halal Or Haram? Things You Need To Know

When you think of fish, one of the things that comes to mind is probably salmon. But what about its halal status? Is salmon halal or haram?

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

Is Salmon Halal?

Yes, salmon is halal in Islam according to all scholars. All kinds of food from the sea are permissible, whether they are plants or animals, alive or dead. Allah has permitted us all the produce of the sea. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that it is halaal (lawful) to eat dead creatures from the sea and dead fish, and salmon is included.

Why Salmon Is Halal?

Salmon is halal because Allah and His Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) have permitted us all the produce of the sea. 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 fish, salmon, squid, octopus, lobster, crab, shrimp, and locusts. The two types of blood are the liver and the spleen.

Read also: is alligator meat halal?

In the Holy Quran, Allah Ta’ala says:

Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for you

Surah al-Ma’idah: 96

This verse validates that all of the sea animals are permitted to eat wherever and however they are found.

Whatever its name is, whoever catches it, either Muslim or non-Muslim, either it is dead or alive the same rule applies; those animals are lawful (halal) to eat.

Abu Hurayrah reports: ‘A man said: “O Messenger of Allah, we travel by sea and we carry with us some water. If we are to use it for ablution we will be thirsty and without water to drink. Can we do our ablution with sea water?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The sea water is pure, and its dead animals are lawful to eat.’

Related by Abu Dawud; al-Tirmidhi; al-Nassa’i.

Furthermore, one of Islam’s fundamental principles is that all worldly things are halal unless they are forbidden in Islam.

Eating salmon, crab, octopus, or snail, for example, is not prohibited in the Quran or Hadith. As a result, they are halal.

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.

This was the view of Imams such as Imam Malik, Imam Ash-Shafi`i and Imam Ahmad. 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 salmon.

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.

ALLAH says;

It is He Who has made the sea subject, that you may eat thereof flesh that is fresh and tender.

Surah an- Nahl, 14

With the above aayahs, Allah Almighty grants permission for all sea animals without exception and with no requirement of slaughtering.

In this manner, He makes it easy and comprehensive for His servants. Of course, it excludes anything dangerous, such as poisonous fish and plants that cause an allergic reaction – always putting the health of yourself and others above all else.

Is Smoked Salmon Halal?

Yes, smoked salmon is halal as long as it does not contain any non-halal ingredients.

Conclusion

To summarize, salmon 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.

However, if medical science proves harmful to the human body in the case of any sea animal, then it will be haram. Because Islam does not support anything that is harmful to the human body. Whether it is sea or land.