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Halal seafood?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Darulifta-Deoband.com
I would like to know following points related to seafood:
1. Are all types of fish Halal and permissible to consume in Islam?
2. Can we eat Shark and Stingrey fish?
3. Can we eat prawns, crabs, squid and other as they are not fish?
4. I have heard that Muhammad PBUH liked the meat of Anmber fish, is that true? Which fish is this? Can you please give the details?
5. Can you please share the English name of Anmber fish? Is that a whale fish? You are requested to please cover everything in your reply which I have asked in the above points and also provide references from Quran and Hadith where necessary.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

(Fatwa: 414/357/H=03/1435)

(1) Sea fish is halal.
(2) All types of fish are halal and it is lawful to eat them.
(3) If Shark and Stingrey are fish i.e. a fish with this name is available then it is halal. However, if it is not fish then the ruling shall be different.
(4) There is difference among the elder scholars of fiqh regarding the prawn. It is halal as per those who consider it fish and not halal as per those who do not consider it fish. It is better to leave it. However, if someone eats it then he should not be objected. It is not lawful to eat crab. If squid is a fish then it is halal but if it is some other sea animal other than fish then it is not halal.
(5) The companions (Sahaba) served the meat of ambar (cachalot or whale) to the holy Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and he ate it, but it is mentioned nowhere that ambar was a favourite fish meat to the holy Prophet.
(6) It is large sea fish, which is probably called whale in English.

Allah knows Best!

Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband

This answer was collected from the official ifta website of Darul Uloom Deoband in India.

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