What Part of the Animals one is not Allowed to Consume?

Answered by: Alimah Siddiqa al-Farsiyyah

Question

Hazrat I want to know that is the testicles and stomach of a goat and cows are Haram or halal. And the prawns are Haram or halal.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

Answer

Mujāhid (may Allāh be pleased with him) has said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) has disliked [the following seven] limbs of the sheep: (1) penis (2) testicles (3) glands (4) gallbladder (5) urinary bladder (6) vulva (7) blood. Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “Blood is harām (prohibited) because of Allāh Ta’ālā’s statement ‘Prohibited upon you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine…’ [1] and I regard the rest of the limbs as makrūh (disliked)” [2] Based on this, consuming the testis of goat and cow would be disliked while the stomach, in other words, the tripe of both animals would be permissible to consume. As far as prawns are concerned, it is not permissible to consume any sea animal, other than fish.

[3] However, with regards to prawns in the Hanafi fiqh there are differences of opinions. The question is whether they are considered from the fish family or not.

According to the Arabic Language (lughat) prawns are considered to be like a fish. Therefore, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) has said it is permissible to consume prawns. (Imdadul Fatawa p.103 v.4) 

However, contemporary zoologists do not consider prawn be a fish, as it does not have a spine (Aapke Masaail p.250 v.4)

Rulings of such issues are not based on technical research but upon the understanding of the common people and as it was mentioned earlier that it will be according to the understanding of the scholars of the Arabic Language and as they have considered it to be a fish thus, lawful to consume. (Fiqhi Maqalat p.217 v.3)

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Siddiqa al-Farsiyyah

Checked and approved Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham[i]