two types of carrion and two types of blood: as for the two types of carrion, they are locusts and fish.” (1) This is narrated from Ibn Umar as a statement of his own, and it is also traced back to the Prophet ﷺ through a weak chain. Yet even if it were only a statement of Ibn Umar, it carries the ruling of a report traced back to the Prophet, because this form of expression from a Companion is treated as such.

Second, in terms of its underlying rationale and wisdom: locusts contain no blood that needs to be drained. Hence the Prophet ﷺ said: “Eat whatever has had its blood drained and over which Allah’s name has been mentioned.” (2)

Some scholars have said that it must die through some human act; if it dies without any human intervention, it is not lawful. However, this is a weak view.

His statement, “and fish”: fish live in water. Thus, his statement, “and everything that lives only in water,” is an instance of joining the general category to the specific. Everything that can live only in water is lawful without ritual slaughter. The evidence from the Quran is Allah’s statement:

“Lawful to you is the catch of the sea and its food, as provision for you and for the travelers.” [Surah al-Ma'idah 5:96]

The evidence from the sunnah is found in the lengthy hadith of Abu Ubaydah: the Prophet ﷺ sent them on a military expedition and gave them dates. Their supply of dates ran out, and they became hungry, until