سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 96
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُۥ مَتَـٰعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ ۖ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًا ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ﴿96﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Lawful to you is (the pursuit of) water-game and its use for food - for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel, but forbidden is (the pursuit of) land-game as long as you are in a state of Ihrâm (for Hajj or ‘Umrah). And fear Allâh to Whom you shall be gathered back.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أُحِلَّ
uḥilla
Is made lawful
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
صَيْدُ
ṣaydu
game
ٱلْبَحْرِ
l-baḥri
(of) the sea
وَطَعَامُهُۥ
waṭaʿāmuhu
and its food
مَتَـٰعًۭا
matāʿan
(as) provision
لَّكُمْ
lakum
for you
وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ ۖ
walilssayyārati
and for the travelers
وَحُرِّمَ
waḥurrima
and is made unlawful
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
on you
صَيْدُ
ṣaydu
game
ٱلْبَرِّ
l-bari
(of) the land
مَا
mā
as
دُمْتُمْ
dum'tum
long as you
حُرُمًۭا ۗ
ḥuruman
(are in) Ihram
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And be conscious
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
(of) Allah
ٱلَّذِىٓ
alladhī
the One
إِلَيْهِ
ilayhi
to Him
تُحْشَرُونَ
tuḥ'sharūna
you will be gathered
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
96. Lawful to you is the game of the sea [143] and its food as provision for you and for travelers [144]. But the game of the land is forbidden to you as long as you are in the state of ihram. And be mindful of Allah, before Whom you will be gathered.
[143] This permission is for both Muhrim and non-Muhrim. A Muhrim is only forbidden from hunting land animals. The likely wisdom in permitting hunting from the sea is that if provisions run out at sea, obtaining further provisions from the sea is much more difficult compared to land.
Every Kind of Sea Creature is Permissible:
According to this verse, all sea creatures are permissible. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding the permissibility of frogs, crocodiles, or any other creature of this kind that can live both in water and on land. Furthermore, there is no need to slaughter these sea creatures, because they die as soon as they are separated from the water, and even if they remain alive for a few moments, there is still no need to slaughter them—like fish, whether it is alive or dead, it is permissible in every case. And if a live fish is taken out of the water, it dies on its own after a few moments.
[144]
The Whale and the Expedition of Saif al-Bahr:
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (in 8 AH) sent an army to the seashore and appointed Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah ص as its commander. They were three hundred men, and I was among them. On the way, our provisions ran out. Abu Ubaidah ordered that everyone bring their food and gather it together. When this was done, the total provisions amounted to two bags of dates. Abu Ubaidah would give us a little from them. When even that was about to run out, he started giving one date per person per day. Wahb says that I asked ؓ, "What could you do with one date?" He replied, "When even that was gone, then we realized that even one date was a blessing." Then, when we reached the sea, we saw a very large fish lying there, like a mountain. The army ate from it for eighteen days. Then Abu Ubaidah ordered that its two ribs be set upright, and a camel passed underneath them and did not reach the height of the ribs. [بخاري۔ باب الشركة فى الطعام وغيره]
[143] This permission is for both Muhrim and non-Muhrim. A Muhrim is only forbidden from hunting land animals. The likely wisdom in permitting hunting from the sea is that if provisions run out at sea, obtaining further provisions from the sea is much more difficult compared to land.
Every Kind of Sea Creature is Permissible:
According to this verse, all sea creatures are permissible. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding the permissibility of frogs, crocodiles, or any other creature of this kind that can live both in water and on land. Furthermore, there is no need to slaughter these sea creatures, because they die as soon as they are separated from the water, and even if they remain alive for a few moments, there is still no need to slaughter them—like fish, whether it is alive or dead, it is permissible in every case. And if a live fish is taken out of the water, it dies on its own after a few moments.
[144]
The Whale and the Expedition of Saif al-Bahr:
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (in 8 AH) sent an army to the seashore and appointed Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah ص as its commander. They were three hundred men, and I was among them. On the way, our provisions ran out. Abu Ubaidah ordered that everyone bring their food and gather it together. When this was done, the total provisions amounted to two bags of dates. Abu Ubaidah would give us a little from them. When even that was about to run out, he started giving one date per person per day. Wahb says that I asked ؓ, "What could you do with one date?" He replied, "When even that was gone, then we realized that even one date was a blessing." Then, when we reached the sea, we saw a very large fish lying there, like a mountain. The army ate from it for eighteen days. Then Abu Ubaidah ordered that its two ribs be set upright, and a camel passed underneath them and did not reach the height of the ribs. [بخاري۔ باب الشركة فى الطعام وغيره]
