Is it permissible to catch, slaught...

Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta

Is it permissible to catch, slaughter, and export frogs to lands where they are eaten?

Question

Is it permissible to catch frogs, slaughter them, and export them to lands where they are eaten?

Answer

This is a multifaceted issue since it discusses the rulings on catching, slaughtering, and exporting frogs for human consumption. The issue of exporting frogs is built on that of slaughtering them, and both are based on the ruling on killing them. The impermissibility of killing frogs was mentioned in hadith literature. These include:

-Abdullah Ibn Uthman narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the killing of frogs. This hadith was recorded by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa`i, Ibn Majah while Al-Hakim declared it authentic and Al-Dhahabi remained silent.
-Ibn Majah recorded that Abu Huraira (may God be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade killing shrikes, frogs, ants and hoopoes.
-Abdullah Ibn Umar (may God be pleased with them both) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the killing of frogs and said: “Its croaking is tasbeeh [glorification of God]" (recorded by Al-Tabarani in Al-Saghir and Al-Awsat).
-Ibn Amr (may God be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not kill frogs for indeed, their croaking is tasbeeh” (recorded by Al-Baihaqi in his Sunan and he declared its chain of transmission authentic).
Because of all of these hadiths, Hanafis, Shafi‘is, Hanbalis, Zahiris and many other scholars maintained the prohibition of eating frogs based on the juristic rule that says that everything which is forbidden to kill is (likewise) forbidden to eat.
Other scholars maintained the permissibility of eating frogs based on the general implications of the words of God the Almighty Who says: “It is permitted for you to catch and eat seafood” (5:96). They likewise based their opinion on the generality of the well-known hadith on seawater that says: “Its water is pure and purifying and its dead are lawful." This opinion was reported from Malik, Ibn Abi Laila, Al-Sha‘bi, and Al-Thawri in one of his two opinions. In addition to this, they considered the hadiths about killing frogs to be weak.
We side with the opinion held by the majority of scholars who prohibit eating frogs based on the prohibition of killing them.
Based on the above and in reference to the question: it is impermissible for you to hunt, slaughter, and export frogs.
And God the Almighty knows best.

 

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