Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: Is it permissible to eat the food in which insects such as cockroaches, or the insects that live in rice, have been cooked? Additionally, because of their large number, some insects fall into the oil and Ghee despite caution. Is it permissible to use that oil or ghee after removing the insects?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
According to the explicit verdicts of the jurists, if the bloodless animals fall into water or even die, the water will remain pure. Therefore, if the insects fall into the ghee or oil, they will remain pure, and they can be used for cooking.
It should be kept in mind, that though these ‘Hasharat Al-Ard’ (insects) are pure, consuming them is Haram. Therefore, if it gets cooked with the food and removing it is easily possible, the food can be consumed after removing it. If the insect has gotten mixed in the food and separating it isn’t possible, it isn’t permissible to eat the food as eating Hasharat (insects) is Haram. Such oil can be used externally, such as on the head or the body.
If bloodless animals fall into the water, the water will not become impure. It is stated in Fatawa Alamgiri, Al-Badai’ Al-Sanai’, etc. (the words of Al-Alamgiri):
موت ما ليس له نفس سائلة في الماء لا ينجسه كالبق والذباب والزنابير والعقارب ونحوها
(Al-Fatawa Al-Alamgiri, Book of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 24, Publ. Beirut)
My Master, A’la Hazrat عليه الرحمة states as an answer to a question:
اگر جانور میں دَمِ سائل نہ تھا، جیسے مینڈک، بچھّو، مکھی، بھڑ وغیرہ تو پاک ہے اور اگر دَم سائل تھا تو ناپاک ہے، کُل پانی نکالیں۔
Translation: If the animal doesn’t have flowing blood, such as a frog, scorpion, fly, etc. it (the well) will be pure. If it has flowing blood, it will be impure. All the water must be removed.
(Fatawa Razawiyyah, Vol. 3, p. 288, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
It is mentioned in Bahar-e-Shari’at:
جن جانوروں میں بہتا ہوا خون نہیں ہوتا جیسے مچھر، مکھی وغیرہ، ان کے مرنے سے پانی نجس نہ ہوگا۔ مکھی سالن وغیرہ میں گر جائے، تو اسے غوطہ دے کر پھینک دیں اور سالن کو کا م میں لائیں۔
Translation: If the animals that don’t have flowing blood, such as mosquitoes, flies, etc. die therein, they will not cause the water to become impure. If a fly falls in gravy, after dipping it in the gravy throw it out and eat the gravy.
(Bahar-e-Shari’at, Vol. 1, p. 388, Publ. Maktaba-tul-Madinah, Karachi)
Though the Hasharat (insects) are pure, it is impermissible to eat them, as stated in Al-Ikhtiyar Li-Ta’lil Al-Mukhtar:
وكل ما ليس له دم سائل حرام إلا الجراد، مثل الذباب والزنابير والعقارب
(Al-Ikhtiyar Li-Ta’lil Al-Mukhtar, Book of Sacrifice, Chapter: What is Halal…?, Vol. 5, p. 14, Publ. Cairo)
It is narrated in Fatawa Shami:
في التتارخانية: دود لحم وقع في مرقة لا ينجس ولا تؤكل المرقة إن تفسخ الدود فيها اهـ أي: لأنه ميتة وإن كان طاهرا. قلت: وبه يعلم حكم الدود في الفواكه والثمار
(Radd Al-Muhtar Ma’ Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar, Book of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 620, Publ. Quetta)
It is stated in Durr Al-Mukhtar:
فلو تفتت فيه نحو ضفدع جاز الوضوء به لا شربه لحرمة لحمه
(Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar Ma’a Radd Al-Muhtar, Book of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 367, Publ. Quetta)
Under the text ‘لحرمة لحمه’ it is stated in Fatawa Shami:
لأنه قد صارت أجزاؤه في الماء فيكره الشرب تحريما كما في البحر
(Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar Ma’a Radd Al-Muhtar, Book of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 367, Publ. Quetta)
It is stated in Bahar-e-Shari’at:
پانی کا جانور یعنی وہ جوپانی میں پیدا ہوتا ہے، اگر کوئیں میں مر جائے یا مرا ہوا گر جائے، تو ناپاک نہ ہو گا۔ اگرچہ پھولا پھٹا ہو،مگر پھٹ کر اس کے اجزا پانی میں مل گئے، تو اس کا پینا حرام ہے۔
Translation: If an aquatic animal, i.e. the animal that is born in water, dies in a well or falls into a well after dying, even if it bursts, it (the well) will not become impure. However, if it bursts and its parts get mixed in the water, it will be Haram to drink.
(Bahar-e-Shari’at, Vol. 1, p. 338, Publ. Maktaba-tul-Madinah, Karachi)
Sadr Al-Shari’ah Mufti Amjad Ali A’zami عليه الرحمة further states:
حشرات الارض حرام ہیں، جیسے چوہا، چھپکلی، گرگٹ، گھونس، سانپ، بچھو، بر، مچھر، پسو، کٹھمل، مکھی، کلی، مینڈک وغیرہا۔
Translation: The Hasharat Al-Ard (insects) are Haram, such as rats, lizards, chameleons, bandicoots, snakes, scorpions, lice, mosquitos, fleas, bedbugs, flies, insects, frogs, etc.
(Bahar-e-Shari’at, Vol. 3, p. 324, Publ. Maktaba-tul-Madinah, Karachi)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari Madani
Ref No: Nor-12970
Date: 8th Safar Al-Muzaffar 1445 AH/ 26th August 2023