Q. People have different views on the permissibility of eating the meat of some sea creatures, particularly the ones that also survive on land, such as crabs. Please comment.
M. Haneef
A. There is no doubt as to the permissibility to eat the meat of such creatures. God says in the Qur’an: “Say: ‘In all that has been revealed to me, I do not find anything forbidden to eat, if one wishes to eat thereof, unless it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine — for all that is unclean — or a sinful offering over which any name other than God’s has been invoked.” (6: 145) Referring to the sea, the Prophet says: “Its water is pure, and its dead animals are permissible to eat.” Guided by these and other texts we say that crabs and similar animals, as also fish and mammals of the sea are all permissible to eat, even though they die naturally or merely by staying out of water.
Which Arafat Day?
Q. I went to my home country, India, shortly before the pilgrimage, where the Eid was celebrated one day after it was celebrated in Saudi Arabia. I wondered whether the recommended fasting should be the 9th of Dul Hijjah as it was marked at Arafat or as it occurred in India. Please explain.
Akthar
A. The day that the Prophet (peace be upon him) recommended to fast is the day of attendance at Arafat. As such, people who are not attending at Arafat and want to mark the occasion by fasting, as recommended, should mark the occasion, not the date.
It is true that the ten nights and nine days preceding the Eid are strongly recommended for voluntary worship, and that whatever one does during that time of adding voluntary prayers with the obligatory ones, donating to charity, fasting or night worship will earn rich reward. Therefore, if one fasts on the 9th of Dul Hijjah as marked in his own country — which is India in your case — one will be earning good reward, God willing. However, if you wish to mark the Arafat day in particular by fasting, then you should fast when the pilgrims are actually attending at Arafat, i.e. the day as marked in Saudi Arabia. This does not prevent you from adding another day of fasting, if you wish, to match the date in your own country, as this is also recommended.