Whether prawns were halal for Muslims or not has become subject of a raging debate in Hyderabad with the premier Islamic Seminary in the city, Jamia Niamia, issuing a fatwa that consumption of prawns was not halal.
Mohammed Azeemuddin, the head Mufti of Jamia Nizamia issued the fatwa (decree) in response to a question earlier this week basing his opinion on the rule that prawn was an arthropod (insects) and consuming them comes under Makrooh-e-Tahrimi (strictly abominable). The food items coming under this category are avoided by Muslims while halal items were allowed and haram were strictly prohibited.
The fatwa has kicked up a row because prawn is quiet a popular dish as part of the sea food and in fact many Fatwas in the past have allowed it.
Fatwa has specially come as rude shock to the Muslim traders of seafood including prawns, either cooked or raw.
The authorities of Jamia Nizamia have clarified that its Fatwa will be applicable to the followers of Hanafi school of thought and who subscribe to Jania Nizamia’s opinion.
Meanwhile another religious institution in Hyderabad Madrasa-e-Anwarul Huda has quoted India’s distinguished seminary Darul Uloom Deoband to say that prawn was halal and not even Makrooh. Mufti Merajuddin Abrar says that earlier Darul Uloom Deoband had ruled that Prawn was makrooh but later they changed the position and declared it as Halal.
Shia and Shafai Islamic jurisprudence also treat prawn as Halal and find nothing objectionable in it.