Is frog Halal?

Frog is not Halal according to the Hanafi Madhab. When it comes to marine animals only fish is permitted.

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ: «أَنَّ طَبِيبًا سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ ضِفْدَعٍ يَجْعَلُهَا فِي دَوَاءٍ، فَنَهَاهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ قَتْلِهَا»

Abd al-Rahman ibn Uthman (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that a physician asked the Prophet ﷺ about putting frogs in medicine. He ﷺ forbade him from killing them. (Abu Dawood 3871, Hasan).

The Hadith above provides specific evidence for the prohibition of frog. However, the general principle in the Hanafi Madhab also serves as evidence for such a prohibition. The understanding of the Hanafi Madhhab is that the Quran and Hadith only permits fish (Samak) when it comes to marine animals. Frog does not look like a fish so is therefore prohibited.

قاصر عندنا على السمك غير الطافي وغير الجريث والمارماهي. (حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح).

With us (the permissibility of sea life) is limited to fish that is not floating (already dead) and is not stingray or eel. (Imam al-Tahtaawi, Haashiyah Tahtaawi ala Maraaqi al-Falah).

(قال: ولا يؤكل من حيوان الماء إلا السمك) ش: أي قال القدوري – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – في ” مختصره “: وقال الكرخي – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: كره أصحابنا كل ما في البحر إلا السمك خاصة فإنه حلال أكله إلا ما طفى منه فإنهم كرهوه. وقال شيخ الإسلام خواهر زاده: ويكره أكل ما سوى السمك من دواب البحر عندنا كالسرطان، والسلحفاة، والضفدع (البناية شرح الهداية).

He (Imam al-Marghinani) said, and nothing from the marine animals is permitted except for fish (Samak). As mentioned by (Imam) al-Quduri (May Allah Most High have mercy upon him) in his Mukhtasar. (Imam) al-Karkhi (May Allah Most High have mercy upon him) said our scholars disliked everything from the sea except for fish (Samak) specifically. It (Samak) is Halal to consume unless it is floating (dead), they considered that to be Makruh. And Shaykh al-Islam Khawahir Zadah said, and with us it is Makruh to consume anything other than fish (Samak) from the animals of the sea, like crab, turtle and frog. (al-Binayah Sharh al-Hidaayah, Imam Badr al-Din al-Ayni).

In the Nusoos (texts) above, not only do we find the general rule of only fish being permitted in the Hanafi Madhab, but we also find specific mention of frog.

And Allah Most High Knows best.

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (09.11.2021)

See also:

Is the Hadith prohibited frog authentic?

Are prawns Halal in the Hanafi Madhab?

Is eel Halal in the Hanafi Madhab?

Is crab or lobster Halal in the Hanafi Madhab?

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