If you like fishing then there must be many questions going on in your head. Let’s try to answer all of them.
Allah said in the holy Quran:
“The two bodies of water are not alike: one is fresh, palatable, and pleasant to drink and the other is salty and bitter. Yet from them both, you eat tender seafood and extract ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing their way through both, so you may seek His bounty and give thanks ˹to Him˺.” [Fatir, 12]
From that verse we can see that fishing is not haram as Allah gave us seafood to eat.
Is fishing haram? Fishing is not Haram in Islam. As long as you’re going to make use of it, like eating it or selling it. Allah said in the holy Quran: “It is lawful for you to hunt and eat seafood, as a provision for you and for travelers. But hunting on land is forbidden to you while on pilgrimage. Be mindful of Allah to Whom you all will be gathered.” [al-Maa’idah 5:96].
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُۥ مَتَـٰعًۭا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ ۖ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًۭا ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ٩٦
There are so many questions that you must be wondering about like Is fishing as a sport haram? Is any fish halal to eat? Is fishing on a Saturday haram? And more, then keep reading.
Don’t forget you can always listen to the whole Quran online for free on our Listen to Quran page here.
Is Fishing Haram?
Fishing is not Haram in Islam; sea creatures are under the halal food that is permissible for Muslims to eat. Therefore, fishing is halal. We can see that clearly in the following verse. Allah says in the holy Quran:
“It is lawful for you to hunt and eat seafood, as a provision for you and for travelers. But hunting on land is forbidden to you while on pilgrimage. Be mindful of Allah to Whom you all will be gathered.” [al-Maa’idah 5:96].
As we can see, Allah says that fishing and eating fish is permissible.
Is fishing as a sport haram?
It is halal for Muslims to go out fishing at any time. Unlike hunting which is not permissible for the one who is in the state of Ihram (Ihram for hajj or umrah) and the one who is in the haram zone. We understand that clearly from the following verse:
“Lawful to you is what you catch from the sea and its use for food – for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel but forbidden is what you catch on land as long as you are in a state of Ihram (for Hajj or Umrah). And fear Allah to Whom you shall be gathered back”
[al-Maa’idah 5:96].
Hunting or fishing with the intention of:
- eating
- selling it to earn a living,
and so on is not Haram as all scholars agreed on the topic. And that goes for fishing as a sport. As long as you’re going to make use of what you catch then it’s not haram.
However, if the person goes fishing as a hobby without the intention to make any use of it or needing it then fishing as a sport becomes a disliked act. Because taking a life out of fun or as a leisure activity is not acceptable.
Here’s what is mentioned in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (28/115):
“If it is known that the basic principle with regard to hunting (or fishing) is that it is permissible, it cannot be deemed to be otherwise, or to be deemed Makrooh, haraam or Mandoob (recommended) or wajib (obligatory) except in specific cases for which there is specific evidence, as follows:
… Hunting or fishing is Makrooh if the purpose behind it is to have fun or do it as a leisure activity because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not take any living being as a target.” Narrated by Muslim (1957).”
More Scholars agree:
Many scholars agreed;
fishing as a spot out of fun without the intention of making any use of it is Makrooh (disliked).
Al-Nafraawi al-Maaliki (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Hunting for fun is Makrooh.” [Al-Fawaakih ad-Dawaani, 1/390]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Hunting to meet a need is permissible; as for hunting for no purpose other than leisure or sport, it is Makrooh. And if it involves wronging people by transgressing upon their crops or property, then it is haraam. ” [Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 5/550 ]
Shaykh Mansoor al-Bahooti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“It is Makrooh to hunt for sport because that is an idle pursuit. If the hunting involves wronging people by transgressing upon their crops or property, then it is haraam. Because the means come under the same ruling as the ends. ” [Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘, 6/213 ]
Ibn ‘Aabideen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “In Majma‘ al-Fataawa it says:
(Hunting) is Makrooh if it is for leisure. ” [Radd al-Muhtaar, 5/297]
In short, if the person goes fishing as a sport and has the intention to make use of what he catches like eating it, selling it, or any other use then it’s not haram or Makrooh. In this case, it’s halal and comes under the ruling of permissible. Why, because in this case, the person is not hunting just to torture or hurt the fish.
What if you don’t intent to use what you catch?
On the other hand, if the person is fishing without the intention to make any use of what he catches or not needing it then fishing as a sport becomes a disliked (Makrooh) act.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“It is not prescribed to cause deal to a living being for sport. Such as hunters shooting from moving vehicles when the intention is not to eat it or feed it to others. In the hadeeth, it says: “Whoever kills a sparrow unlawfully will be questioned about it.” [Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem Aal ash-Shaykh, 12/231]
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“If it is for an Islamically-acceptable purpose, such as eating it or selling it, as in the case of those who catch bustards, lizards and rabbits, and other permissible animals, to eat them or sell them, then there is nothing wrong with it. But if a person is hunting or fishing in order to kill the animal and leave it there, this is not right. The least that can be said about it is that it is very makruh (disliked).
No one should hunt an animal that can be eaten unless it is for a purpose, either to eat it or feed the poor with it or give it as a gift or sell it. As for hunting it for sport, that is not permissible; it is a kind of leisure or “fun” that is not appropriate on the part of the believer.
It was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he forbade hunting, except for food or to make use of (the animal caught).”
Is any fish halal to eat?
Any food that comes from the sea is halal to eat whether plants or animals, as Allah says in the holy Quran:
“Lawful to you is (the pursuit of) water-game and its use for food – for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel…” [al-Maidah 5:96].
Also Allah says in the holy Quran:
“The two bodies of water are not alike: one is fresh, palatable, and pleasant to drink and the other is salty and bitter. Yet from them both you eat tender seafood and extract ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing their way through both, so you may seek His bounty and give thanks ˹to Him˺.”
[Fatir, 12]
وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْبَحْرَانِ هَـٰذَا عَذْبٌۭ فُرَاتٌۭ سَآئِغٌۭ شَرَابُهُۥ وَهَـٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌۭ ۖ وَمِن كُلٍّۢ تَأْكُلُونَ لَحْمًۭا طَرِيًّۭا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُونَ حِلْيَةًۭ تَلْبَسُونَهَا ۖ وَتَرَى ٱلْفُلْكَ فِيهِ مَوَاخِرَ لِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ١٢
But there are some exceptions, and we will discuss some of them in the following section.
Are some fish Haram to eat?
There are some sea animals that some scholars exclude from the ruling of halal, some of them are:
- Crocodiles.
- Frogs.
- Otters and turtles.
- Poisonous fish. Any fish that is Poisonous and would harm the person is not halal to eat.
Muslims are not allowed to eat anything that causes harm even if it comes from the sea, as Allah says in the holy Quran: “… And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” [al-Nisa 4:29] and: “… and do not throw yourselves into destruction…” [al-Baqarah 2:195]
This also means that you should not eat too much of a fish if too much of said fish can harm you. For example, some fish like Trout have high mercury in them that makes them dangerous if eaten too much.
Is fishing in the Sacred months haram?
The sacred months are Rajab, Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah, and Muharram. The sacred months were mentioned in the holy Quran in the following verse:
“Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are Sacred (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein” [al-Tawbah, 36]
Fishing in the sacred months or while fasting is not Haram. Some people may think that hunting or fishing is haram in the sacred months but that’s not true.
When is Fishing Haram:
When it comes to hunting land animals then it’s not allowed in two situations and they are:
1 – being in the state of Ihraam for Hajj or Umrah.
We can see that clearly in the following verse from the Holy Quran:
“O you who believe! Kill not the game while you are in a state of Ihraam [for Hajj or ‘Umrah (pilgrimage)], and whosoever of you kills it intentionally, the penalty is an offering, brought to the Ka‘bah, of an eatable animal (i.e. sheep, goat, cow) equivalent to the one he killed, as adjudged by two just men among you; or, for expiation, he should feed Masaakeen (poor persons), or its equivalent in Sawm (fasting), that he may taste the heaviness (punishment) of his deed.
Allaah has forgiven what is past, but whosoever commits it again, Allah will take retribution from him. And Allah is All‑Mighty, All-Able of Retribution” [al-Maa’idah, 95]
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said in the tafsir of this verse:
“This is Allah’s prohibition on killing game when in the state of ihram, and a prohibition on being involved in any activities of this nature.”
2 – Hunting within the haram zone (which means Makkah and Madinah).
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
“Allah sanctified Makkah the day He created the heavens and the earth, so it is sacred by the sanctity decreed by Allah until the Day of Resurrection.
It was not permitted for anyone before me to fight therein and will never be permitted to anyone after me, and it was only permitted to me for part of a day. Its game is not to be disturbed and its thorns are not to be cut.”
[Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1284) and Muslim (1353).]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: “If I saw gazelles grazing in Madinah, I would not disturb them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “The area between its two lava fields is a sanctuary.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1774) and Muslim (1372).]
From this, we conclude that fishing and hunting is not haram during the sacred months nor while fasting. When it comes to hunting, there are only two situations where it’s prohibited. If you want to learn more about the ruling of fishing while fasting or keeping a pet fish read our article Islamic dua for fishing.
Is Catch and Release Fishing Permissible?
No, catch-and-release fishing is not permissible. Because while doing so you’re hurting what you catch and there’s some research that shows that catching and releasing the fish often lead to its death. And as Muslims, we are not allowed to hurt or kill animals for fun.
What is the halal way to kill fish?
The Quran and sunnah don’t mention anything about the halal way to kill a fish.
So, you can simply catch the fish and slaughter it. However, you shouldn’t torture the fish while killing it. When slaughtering the fish use a sharp blade and slaughter the fish quickly and mercifully.
Don’t slaughter the animal using a blunt blade because you will cause unnecessary pain to the animal. Some fish are more difficult than others to kill, for example, you really need to know how to kill catfish to be able to kill them quickly and instantly as they are famously difficult to kill.
Unlike land animals that you have to slaughter in a halal way.
Meaning that you have to say ‘Bismillahi Allahu Akbar (In the name of God, God is Greater)’ before slaughtering the animal. And that is called Zabiha. Fish doesn’t require a Zabiha.
What is the halal way to eat fish?
To eat fish in a halal way you should start by saying ‘in the name of Allah (Bismillah)’. You should do that before you start eating or drinking anything, not just when eating fish.
If you started eating and forgot to say ‘in the name of Allah (Bismillah)’ then say ‘Bismillah fi awwalihi wa akhir’ (In the Name of Allah at the beginning and at the end). That’s the sunnah of our beloved prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)
Fishing on Saturday in Islam.
Fishing on Saturday in Islam is permissible in Islam. Muslims can fish on any day. Fishing on Saturday is only prohibited for the sons of Israel as Allah said in the holy Quran:
“And ask them about the town that was by the sea. When they transgressed in (the matter of) the sabbath. When their fish came to them openly on their sabbath day, and the day they had no sabbath they did not come to them. Thus, did We give them trial because they were defiantly disobedient.” – [Qur’an 7:163]
What are the Conditions for Fishing to be Halal?
Here are the conditions in which fishing is halal:
- Fishing for food: fishing is not haram if the person is fishing to eat o to feed others.
- To earn a living: if the person is fishing to sell fish in the market to earn his living, then fishing is not haram.
When can Fishing become Haram?
Fishing can come under the rule of disliked if unnecessary pain is afflicted on the fish, or if the person is fishing for fun and not planning on making any use of what he catches.
Our beloved prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) told us about the woman who mistreated a cat and therefore was condemned to hell and the man who found a dog suffering from thirst and filled his shoe with water and watered it. We learn from the two stories that mistreating an animal is forbidden.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “A woman entered the (Hell) Fire because of a cat which she had tied. She neither gave it food nor set it free to eat from the vermin of the earth.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 3318, Book 59, Hadith 124, Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 535]
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ دَخَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ النَّارَ فِي هِرَّةٍ رَبَطَتْهَا، فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْهَا، وَلَمْ تَدَعْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خِشَاشِ الأَرْضِ ”. قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way, there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst, and came out. Meanwhile, he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, “This dog is suffering from thirst as I did.” So, he went down the well again and filled his shoe with water, and watered it. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him. The people said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?” He replied: “Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate (living being).”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2466, Book 46, Hadith 27, Vol. 3, Book 43, Hadith 646]
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” بَيْنَا رَجُلٌ بِطَرِيقٍ، اشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَطَشُ فَوَجَدَ بِئْرًا فَنَزَلَ فِيهَا فَشَرِبَ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ، فَإِذَا كَلْبٌ يَلْهَثُ يَأْكُلُ الثَّرَى مِنَ الْعَطَشِ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ لَقَدْ بَلَغَ هَذَا الْكَلْبَ مِنَ الْعَطَشِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي كَانَ بَلَغَ مِنِّي، فَنَزَلَ الْبِئْرَ، فَمَلأَ خُفَّهُ مَاءً، فَسَقَى الْكَلْبَ، فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ، فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ”. قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي الْبَهَائِمِ لأَجْرًا فَقَالَ ” فِي كُلِّ ذَاتِ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ ”.
Islamic dua for fishing.
When it comes to Islamic dua for fishing there are no Duas mentioned in the Quran or sunnah regarding the matter. But as Muslims, we start everything by saying Bismillah (In the Name of God). Therefore, you could say ‘Bismillah (In the Name of God)’ before you start fishing.
That’s the end of today’s article, I hope you found it useful, and for more visit our website QuranOnline.com
