The meaning of halaal.
Q. Please explain to me what is meant by “halaal” and why don’t we have halaal fish or anything from the sea?
A. Halal is an Arabic word which means ‘that which is lawful, allowed and permitted’. Because of its meaning, it is used for many things to show that the item or thing indicated to is lawful and permitted for Muslims.
In this way, it is also used for food and drink, and when these fulfill the laws of Islam, then they would be considered as halal for muslims to consume.
In the food industry, one requirement of the slaughtering of birds (poultry) and animals is that the blood vessels be cut in order to allow the blood of the animal to drain completely. Similarly, while cutting those blood vessels, a person must call the name of Allah. Fish and the other things of the sea do not have blood. As such, there is no law of cutting any part of the fish to allow the blood to drain.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan