Assalamu'alaikum Ustadz, I have a question.
What is the ruling on eating crocodile meat?
ANSWER:
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings be upon you
WL…
In modern times like today, many people innovate in many ways, including culinary. Among the unusual foods to be consumed, one of them is crocodile meat. In fact, many people are willing to spend deeply in order to try this culinary experience. Then how does Islam view this problem? Are alligators halal to eat?
Crocodile is a type of reptile and breathes with lungs, air enters through the nostrils and is then channeled into the lungs. When a crocodile enters the water, its nostrils close and water does not enter the lungs. Because crocodile lungs contain more nitrogen than human lungs, they can stay underwater for longer periods of time without experiencing pain.
Although crocodiles sometimes appear to breathe underwater, they can only breathe when their nostrils are in contact with air. But crocodiles are a very dangerous type of predatory animal. It has sharp claws and fangs to prey on its prey.
Syekh Kamaluddin ad-Damiri describes this animal as follows:
التمساح- وهذا الحيوان على صورة الضب وهو من أعجب حيوان الماء ، له فم واسع وستون ناباً في فكه الأعلى وأربعون في فكه الأسفل ، وبين كل نابين سن صغيرة مربعة ويدخل بعضها في بعض عند الانطباق . God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you
“Timsah (crocodile), this animal is shaped like a monitor lizard and is classified as one of the amazing animals that live in water. It has a wide mouth and has 60 canines on the upper jaw and 40 on the lower jaw. In each gap between its two canines are small, box-shaped teeth that snap into one another when pressed together. It has a long tongue and a (hard) back like a turtle's back which cannot be pierced by ordinary iron. It has four legs and a long tail.” (Syekh Kamaluddin ad-Damiri, Hayat al-Hayawan al-Kubra, juz 1, p. 237)
In a hadith it is also stated:
عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ كُلِّ ذِي نَابٍ مِن ْ السِّبَاعِ وَعَنْ كُلِّ ذِي مِخْلَبٍ مِنْ الطَّيْرِ. (متفق عليه)
It was narrated from Ibn Abbas ra, he said: "The Messenger of Allah prohibited (eating) all beasts with fangs and birds with claws." (Narrated by Bukhari Muslim)
Crocodiles are wild animals with even a lot of fangs and sharp claws. More than that, crocodiles are included in the category of disgusting animals.
Allah Subhanãhu wa Ta'ala says:
God bless you.
“(Allah) made lawful for them all that is good and all that is unlawful for them.” {QS al-A'raf: 157}
Based on the opinion of various schools of jurisprudence, the jumhur (majority) of Ulama stated that it was forbidden. Meanwhile, Imam Malik and a history from Imam Ahmad argue that crocodiles are halal.
But for caution, I suggest referring to the opinion of the majority of Ulama which states that it is forbidden to eat crocodiles. Even though there are those who argue that there is no firm argument for its prohibition, instinctively humans, especially Muslims, eat crocodiles is not a common thing to do. Moreover, Allah Subhanãhu wa Ta'ala still provides many other foods that are halal and thayyib (good).
Wallahu a'lam.
Hope it works!
Peace, mercy and blessings of God
(Answered by Ustadz Very Setiyawan, Lc., S.Pd.I., MH)
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