Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salaam O Alaikum!

Recently, I had frog legs at a restaurant. I've read on your site that anything that flesh from the rivers and oceans is halaal. Is that acceptable

for frogs as well as frogs (as opposed to toads) spend most of their time in

the water and need to be in and around it although they do come outside

the water for brief periods and the tadpoles spend all their life in water until

adulthood. Also, I do not know of any suraah or ayaat in the Qura'an forbidding the consumption of frogs or  crustaceans. Same with crabs and lobsters which could also stay alive on land for brief periods of time but have to spend most of their lives in water.

Thank you in advance.

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Are frogs halaal?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol,  no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

The principle in Islam is that when one wants to determine what food is halaal and what is haraam,  one must look into the list of the haraam foods;  and if the food is not found in the haraam list,  it will be considered halaal as food for the believers.

 

There is absolutely no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah that frogs are declared haraam;  and since they are not declared haraam,  then they will be considered halaal as food for the believers.   Same is the case with crabs,  lobsters,  shrimps,  etc.;  and they are all considered halaal food.

 

One of the great jurists of Islam,  Imam Shafei is of the opinion that absolutely all animals of the sea will be considered halaal for the believers.   Frogs,  crabs,  shrimps,  lobsters,  etc.  are predominantly creatures that live in the sea,  and he considers their meat halaal for the believers as food.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan