Recreational fishing

If a person does fishing with the intention of consuming the fish that he catches, it will be permissible for him to fish even if he derives pleasure out of fishing. However, it is not permissible to do fishing just to pass time and to have fun when one does not have a valid shar’ee purpose, such as to keep the fish for consumption, etc. Therefore, recreational fishing and sport fishing in which one catches fish merely to release them again is not permissible. Releasing the fish due to it being undersized according to the law of the country is a different issue (i.e. one must abide by this law of the country).

To persistently spend a lot of time on fishing is also not permissible as it causes ghafla (heedlessness), because of which the person is deprived of praiseworthy as well as compulsory acts. Ibn Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Whoever pursues the game (i.e. hunted animal, fish etc.) becomes heedless.”  (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i).

Mulla Ali Qaari (May Allah be pleased with him) explains the hadith thus: “i.e. whoever persistently pursues (the animal, fish etc.) and engrosses himself in it and mounts himself in order to pursue it — such as a pigeon etc. — for amusement and delight, becomes heedless:  i.e. of Allah’s obedience, His worship, the congregation, and Jum’ah; and he distances himself from gentleness and mercy because of his resemblance with a predatory animal and a beast.” (Mirqaatul Mafaatih vol. 7 pg. 279)

In short, to fish with a valid Shar’ee purpose — such as to keep the fish for eating — is permissible even if one derives pleasure out of it with the condition that one does not habitually spend too much time on it. To fish merely for fun without having a valid Shar’ee purpose is not permissible.

Mufti Faizal Riza