Q: Is it permissible to eat calamari?

A: The Quran has stated that everything from the sea is Halal.The Hanafi jurists limit the consumption of seafood to those creatures classified as fish.  There are two things mentioned in the Hadith that can be eaten without slaughtering, one of them is fish (samak in Arabic). Citing this Hadith the Hanafi jurists state that any sea creature that falls out of the classification of fish cannot be consumed.  Only that is Halaal for consumption from the sea which falls under the category of fish (samak). The details of this lengthy and technical discussion and can be found in the Arabic books of Hadith and Fiqh like I’laaus Sunan and Raddul Muhtaar Vol.6 Pg.306/7.

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Shafique A Jakhura (Mufti)                 M.D. Mangera (Mufti)                                  
Fatwa Dept.                                             Fatwa Dept.