Islamic Ruling on Parts Cut from Living Animals and Exceptions for Fish & Locust

A Part Cut from a Living Animal is Carrion – Exception for Fish and Locust


A part cut from a living animal is considered carrion (dead meat), except for two dead animals and two types of blood which are made lawful:

• Dead animals: Fish and Locust
• Blood: Liver and Spleen

Prohibition of Eating a Part Cut from a Living Animal​

Abu Waqid al-Laythi رضي الله عنه narrated:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Madinah, some of the people of Madinah used to cut meat from the backs of animals and cut humps from camels. The Prophet ﷺ said:


ما قطع من البهيمة وهى حية فهى ميتة
“Whatever is cut from an animal while it is alive is carrion.”
[Sahih: Abu Dawud 2485; Tirmidhi 1480; Darimi 2/93; Hakim 4/239; Bayhaqi 1/23; Ahmad 5/218; Ibn Majah 3216]

Lawful Exceptions – Two Dead and Two Bloods​

Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:


أُحِلَّتْ لَنَا مَيْتَتَانِ وَدَمَانِ...
“Two types of dead animals and two types of blood have been made lawful for us: the two dead animals are locusts and fish; the two types of blood are the liver and the spleen.”
[Sahih: al-Silsilah al-Sahihah 1118; Ibn Majah 3218; Ahmad 2/97; Bayhaqi 9/257]

Practice of the Companions​

Ibn Abi Awfa رضي الله عنه said:


“We fought alongside the Prophet ﷺ in six or seven campaigns and we ate locusts with him.”
[Bukhari 5495; Muslim 1952]

Incident of the Ambergris (Large Fish)​

When Abu ʿUbaydah رضي الله عنه led a starving army to the seashore, Allah provided them with a large fish (ʿAnbar). They ate from it and later asked the Prophet ﷺ, who said:


كلوا رزقا أخرج الله لكم...
“Eat from the provision that Allah has brought forth for you, and if you have some left, feed us too.”
[Bukhari 4361-4362, 5493; Muslim 1935; Abu Dawud 3840; Ahmad 3/304; Bayhaqi 6/194]

Scholarly Opinions on Dead Sea Creatures​

• Hanafi view: Only fish is permissible from dead sea creatures.
• Majority view: All sea creatures that cannot live outside water are lawful, regardless of how they die.
• Preferred opinion: The majority view is stronger.

Evidences:


① Qur’anic verse:


أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ...
“The game of the sea and its food have been made lawful for you.” (Al-Mā’idah: 96)


② Hadith of Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:


هو الطهور ماءه والحل ميتته
“Its water is pure and its dead animals are lawful.”
[Sahih: Abu Dawud 76; Tirmidhi 69; Ibn Majah 386; Nasa’i 1/176]