Scaled fish
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A scaled fish or a fish with scales which is permissible (halal) to eat. In Shi'a jurisprudence, having scales is a required condition for the fish's permissibility to be eaten. Some jurists consider this ruling to be specific to the Imamiyya (Shi'a) school. In Islamic narrations, based on this ruling, some types of fish are mentioned as permissible meat and others as forbidden meat.
Jurists consider the buying and selling of scaleless fish for eating purposes to be invalid and prohibited (haram). According to their fatwa, if even a part of the fish's body has scales, it is sufficient and eating it is permissible. Regarding the ruling on fish that have microscopic scales which cannot be seen with the naked eye, there is disagreement among scholars.
Introduction
A scaled fish refers to a fish that has scales, which constitute the external covering of the fish's body. In Islamic jurisprudence, scaled fish are discussed in the chapters of hunting, slaughtering, and foods and beverages. Having scales is a required condition for the permissibility of consuming fish. In Shia narrative sources, there are various narrations regarding the ruling on scaled fish.
Jurisprudential Ruling
The jurists of the Imamiyya school consider eating scaled fish permissible and deem fish without scales prohibited. By "fish without scales," they mean fish that inherently do not have scales. Therefore, fish that originally have scales but whose scales have fallen off are not included in this ruling.
Imami jurists consider eating scaled fish permissible (halal) and fish without scales forbidden (haram). What is meant by fish without scales is fish that inherently lacks scales. Therefore, this does not include fish that have scales but have shed them.
Regarding the reasoning behind the prohibition of eating the meat of fish without scales, it has been stated that such fish are generally carnivorous or carrion-eaters, and their body meat is contaminated due to lacking scales.
Ruling on Fish Eggs
Ayatollah Sistani, one of the leading jurists, holds the opinion that the caviar and eggs of lawful (halal) fish are halal, and the caviar and eggs of unlawful (haram) fish are haram, with no distinction based on whether the eggs are rough and coarse or soft and delicate.
According to the fatwa of most jurists, the ruling on eating fish eggs follows the ruling on the fish itself. Therefore, if eating the fish is permissible, eating its eggs will also be permissible. Some scholars have offered other approaches; including that if the fish eggs are rough and coarse, they are permissible, and if they are soft, they are forbidden. However, some have considered this approach applicable only when it is not clear whether the fish is "halal" or "haram". Sistani, one of the marja's, holds the view that fish eggs of halal fish are permissible, and the eggs of haram fish are forbidden, with no distinction between whether they are rough and coarse or soft and delicate.
The Permissibility of Eating Scaled Fish – A Ruling Specific to the Shi'a
Some Shi'a jurists, such as Shaykh Tusi and Sayyid Murtada, have considered the permissibility of eating scaled fish and the prohibition of all other sea creatures to be among the rulings specific to the Imamiyya (Twelver Shi'a). Others, referring to the tawatur of narrations on this issue and its fame among the companions, have claimed consensus on this matter and have regarded it as one of the distinguishing views of the Shi'a school.
Non-Imamiyya jurists do not restrict permissibility to scaled fish only. Abu Hanifa considered all fish to be permissible to eat.
Likewise, Shafi'i and Malik b. Anas have declared all sea animals to be permissible. Therefore, some jurists have regarded the permissibility of eating scaled fish as a matter of consensus among Muslims, and the prohibition of scaleless fish and sea animals that are not considered fish as a matter of consensus among the Imamiyya scholars.
Narrative Examples
Some jurists, based on various narrations, have mentioned the names of some permissible and forbidden fish species and have compiled the rulings of scholars in this regard.
Turtle, frog, and crab are marine animals that, according to narrations, have been ruled as forbidden due to either not being classified as fish or lacking scales. Conversely, salmon, rubaytha (a small fish with fine scales), shrimp, timr and timrani have been considered among the types of permissible (halal) fish.
Jurists such as Shaykh Tusi, Muhaqqiq Hilli, and Kaydari — the author of Isbah al-Shi'a — based on narrations, have considered eating the meat of certain sea animals, such as eel, zahu, and zimmar, to be makruh (disliked). Others have deemed them forbidden, because they do not regard them as fish or do not consider them to have scales. This latter group has interpreted the narrations indicating dislike as being due to taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation). There is also disagreement about the identification of some fish species mentioned in the narrations.
Size and Identification of Scales
According to the fatwas of some jurists, it is not necessary for the entire body of the fish to have scales; if a part of the fish's body has scales, that is sufficient. Determining whether a fish has scales is left to the individual himself, or to experts in the field who recognize the fish as having scales.
Some believe that if a person doubts whether a fish has scales, they should assume it is forbidden, unless it is sold in Muslim markets or a just witness testifies that it has scales. Therefore, if there is doubt about fish sold in non-Muslim markets, one should avoid eating them.
Among jurists, there is disagreement regarding the permissibility of fish that have microscopic scales not visible to the naked eye. Starry sturgeon, beluga sturgeon, sturgeon family (acipenseridae), shark, and caviar-producing fish are among the species about which jurists have been asked regarding their permissibility.
Some marja's believe that fish scales must be visible to the naked eye without a magnifying instrument and be recognized by the common view of people as scales. For this reason, Ayatullah Tabrizi holds that the existence of scales on caviar-producing fish has not been established. Others, such as Ayatullah Bahjat, consider viewing with a magnifying device to be sufficient. Ayatullah Makarim Shirazi, in response to questions about the permissibility of consuming shark, considers the view of common people or the confirmation by experts to be sufficient for determining the fish's permissibility.
A group of researchers maintain that the permissibility of eating a fish depends on the existence of scales, whether they are visible to the naked eye or seen through a magnifying instrument.