Is it obligatory to say the Basmala before cleaning a live fish that was slaughtered by striking its head and opening its belly, and is it a condition that this be done by a Muslim?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Slaughtering (Dhakah) and the pronouncement of Allah's name (Tasmiyah) are not required for fish, because Allah has permitted the dead creatures of the sea. The proof for this is the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement regarding seawater: "Its water is pure and its dead creatures are lawful." Thus, it is permissible to eat fish even if caught by a disbeliever whose slaughtered animal is not lawful.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/57309
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 57309
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy