42/35. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4350 — Sea Water Is Pure and Seafood Is Lawful
Dead Meat From The Sea
Sea Water Purity in Islam and the Permissibility of Seafood
Sunan an-Nasai : 4350
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4350
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، عَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي مَاءِ الْبَحْرِ " هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاؤُهُ الْحَلاَلُ مَيْتَتُهُ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (said), concerning the water of the sea: "Its water is pure (and Purification) and its 'dead meat' is permissible (to eat)."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4350In-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 88English translation : Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 4355
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4350
This hadith gives two short rulings about the sea. First, the Prophet said that seawater is pure and can be used for purification. Second, he said that the sea’s dead animals are permissible to eat. The wording is brief, which makes it easy to remember and useful for people asking whether seawater can be used for wudu or whether dead seafood is halal. The hadith connects worship and food in one answer: the water itself is purifying, and what dies in the sea is lawful to eat. The best explanation is to keep the same clear limits as the text. It speaks about the water of the sea and its dead meat, without adding detailed rulings about every individual sea creature.
What we learn from this hadith
- Seawater is described as pure and suitable for purification.
- The dead animals of the sea are described as permissible to eat.
- The hadith answers both a purification question and a food question.
- Its short wording makes the rule easy to remember.
