Is Eating Raw Crab Halal? Yes, and Here Is Why
C.J Ahmed-07.04.2023
Eating crabs, be it raw, hard shell or soft shell is not haram in Islam because of clear evidence from the Quran or authentic hadiths stating so.
If there is a difference of opinion among Muslims Allah (swt) says to judge using the Quran and the Sunnah of the prophet (sal).
Allah(Swt) tells us to refer to him and his messenger(Sal).
1. " if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination".(Al-Quran-4:59)
If we refer the argument on whether we can eat crabs or not, we can see that no where in Islam does it say that eating crabs is makrooh or haram. This is what Allah(Swt) says in the Quran,
2. "The game of the water and eating thereof are permitted to you as a provision for you and for those on a journey"(Al-Quran-5:96)
Ibn Abbas(Rali) explained the above verse as mentioned in Ibn kathir as "Sayduhu (lit. hunting, pursuit) refers to whatever is taken from it alive, and ta’aamuhu (lit. its food) means whatever is taken dead.”
This verse is clear proof that any animal that lives in the sea is halal and the crab lives in the sea it falls under the explanation of the above chapter in the Quran. Now, some might argue that crabs do not live entirely in the sea live other fish and they come up with an analogy that the crab is makrooh or haram because it does not live completely in the sea. This is a false argument because this argument has no basis in the Quran or Sunnah and if crabs were haram in the first place,there would be clear textual evidence to prove it. No where in the Quran or authentic hadiths does it say that animals that live in the land or sea is haram. What needs to be understood is that Islam is a rligion of ease. Allah(Swt) says in the Quran,
3. "Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you”
(Al-Quran-2:185)
The other misunderstood argument among Muslims about eating crab is that crabs have fangs and they fall in to the category of animals have fangs. They quote the below hadith.
Abu Thalaba(Rali) narrated,
The prophet(Sal) forbade the eating of the flesh of every wild beast having fangs"(Bukhari)
What is mentioned in the above hadith is about eating the flesh of wild predators like lions and tigers. Crabs are not predators and even if they are predators, they are still halal because they are animals from the ocean and live in the water. There are several hadiths prohibiting the eating of animals with fangs but this is only limited to predators and not all animals.
Abu Thalabah (Rali) narrated,The prophet (Sal) forbidding the eating of all beast of prey with fangs"
(Sahih Muslim)
5. Abu Hurayrah (Rali) narrated,The prophet(Sal) as saying,"The eating of all fanged beasts of prey is unlawful".(Sahih Muslim)
None of these hadith have anything to do with crabs. crabs are nor predatory animals and even for the sake of argument if we agree that crabs are predatory animals, it is still halal to eat them because all animals in the sea are halal even if they are predatory animals.
6 Abu Hurayrah(Rali) narrated the prophet(Sal) was asked about sea water and he said, “Its water is purifying for ablution, and its dead animals are lawful to eat.”
(Tirmidhi-Graded Sahih by imam Tirmidhi)
Nutritional value of Crabs
There are many health benefits of eating crabs and I thought that this shouldn't be overlooked. Crab meat is full of phosphorous and phosphorous is a key mineral to having strong bones and teeth. crab meat also is rich in vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids which fights depression and anxiety and heart related illnesses.Crab meat contains selenium which boosts the immune system.Below is the table showing the health benefits of eating crab.
There is a huge misunderstanding that eating crabs is disliked in Islam. This view has no basis whatsoever. Eating crabs is halal in Islam and crabs have a lot of nutritional value which needs not to be missed out.
Eating crabs, be it raw, hard shell or soft shell is not haram in Islam because of clear evidence from the Quran or authentic hadiths stating so.
If there is a difference of opinion among Muslims Allah (swt) says to judge using the Quran and the Sunnah of the prophet (sal).
Allah(Swt) tells us to refer to him and his messenger(Sal).
1. " if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination".(Al-Quran-4:59)
If we refer the argument on whether we can eat crabs or not, we can see that no where in Islam does it say that eating crabs is makrooh or haram. This is what Allah(Swt) says in the Quran,
2. "The game of the water and eating thereof are permitted to you as a provision for you and for those on a journey"(Al-Quran-5:96)
Ibn Abbas(Rali) explained the above verse as mentioned in Ibn kathir as "Sayduhu (lit. hunting, pursuit) refers to whatever is taken from it alive, and ta’aamuhu (lit. its food) means whatever is taken dead.”
This verse is clear proof that any animal that lives in the sea is halal and the crab lives in the sea it falls under the explanation of the above chapter in the Quran. Now, some might argue that crabs do not live entirely in the sea live other fish and they come up with an analogy that the crab is makrooh or haram because it does not live completely in the sea. This is a false argument because this argument has no basis in the Quran or Sunnah and if crabs were haram in the first place,there would be clear textual evidence to prove it. No where in the Quran or authentic hadiths does it say that animals that live in the land or sea is haram. What needs to be understood is that Islam is a rligion of ease. Allah(Swt) says in the Quran,
3. "Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you”
(Al-Quran-2:185)
The other misunderstood argument among Muslims about eating crab is that crabs have fangs and they fall in to the category of animals have fangs. They quote the below hadith.
Abu Thalaba(Rali) narrated,
The prophet(Sal) forbade the eating of the flesh of every wild beast having fangs"(Bukhari)
What is mentioned in the above hadith is about eating the flesh of wild predators like lions and tigers. Crabs are not predators and even if they are predators, they are still halal because they are animals from the ocean and live in the water. There are several hadiths prohibiting the eating of animals with fangs but this is only limited to predators and not all animals.
Abu Thalabah (Rali) narrated,The prophet (Sal) forbidding the eating of all beast of prey with fangs"
(Sahih Muslim)
5. Abu Hurayrah (Rali) narrated,The prophet(Sal) as saying,"The eating of all fanged beasts of prey is unlawful".(Sahih Muslim)
None of these hadith have anything to do with crabs. crabs are nor predatory animals and even for the sake of argument if we agree that crabs are predatory animals, it is still halal to eat them because all animals in the sea are halal even if they are predatory animals.
6 Abu Hurayrah(Rali) narrated the prophet(Sal) was asked about sea water and he said, “Its water is purifying for ablution, and its dead animals are lawful to eat.”
(Tirmidhi-Graded Sahih by imam Tirmidhi)
Nutritional value of Crabs
There are many health benefits of eating crabs and I thought that this shouldn't be overlooked. Crab meat is full of phosphorous and phosphorous is a key mineral to having strong bones and teeth. crab meat also is rich in vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids which fights depression and anxiety and heart related illnesses.Crab meat contains selenium which boosts the immune system.Below is the table showing the health benefits of eating crab.
There is a huge misunderstanding that eating crabs is disliked in Islam. This view has no basis whatsoever. Eating crabs is halal in Islam and crabs have a lot of nutritional value which needs not to be missed out.