Eating fish fed on pork, is it perm...

Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta

Eating fish fed on pork, is it permissible?

Question

The European Union issued a new law which indicates feeding the fish in the farms with pork. Is it permissible to eat pork-fed fish?

Answer

Fish fed on pork take the same ruling for Jallala (i.e. animals fed on filth and whose meat is disliked by the Shari'ah).

According to the opinion of the majority of scholars, it is detested [makruh] to eat the meat, drink the milk and eat the eggs of jallala animals if they have an offensive smell. This is based on the hadith narrated by Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said, "The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited riding and drinking the milk of jallala camels" [Recorded by Abu Dawud with a good chain of transmission).

The Shafi'is, however, maintained that it is allowed to eat the meat of jallala animals if it is not rotten or smells offensive. It is permissible to use the meat of pork as fodder if it transforms into a pure substance through processing.

Scholars have agreed that the offensiveness associated with jallala is removed if the animals are served pure fodder for a certain period of time until the impurities are removed from their system. The period agreed upon is three days for chickens though it differs for each kind of other animal, depending on the opinion of experts. Imam Abu Hanifa and his two students maintained the same opinion and said, "Jallala animals must be fed pure fodder until their meat becomes pure."

Due to the widespread of epidemics and diseases in our time, the legal ruling on whether or not the meat of jallala animals is detested depends on the expert opinion of medical specialists, nutritionists, health experts, and animal growers. This will help decide the legal ruling for each case based on clear information.

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