FatwaSarawakFood & Halal
Hukum makan belangkas
Is it permissible to eat horseshoe crab despite claims that it is poisonous?
Short answer
Eating the meat and eggs of the horseshoe crab (belangkas) is permissible.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Sarawak State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad (Koleksi Kemusykilan Agama)
- Topic
- Food & Halal
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Eating the meat and eggs of the horseshoe crab (belangkas) is permissible. It is a sea animal that cannot live without water, and there is no definitive text prohibiting it. The practice of some Malaysian communities eating it shows no evidence of harm or poisoning. The eggs are also permissible because they follow the ruling of the animal itself.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Sehubungan itu selaras dengan pandangan Jumhur ulama' yang menyatakan bahawa haiwan yang tinggal di dalam laut semata-mata dan tidak boleh hidup tanpa air adalah halal dimakan, maka mesyuarat bersetuju memutuskan bahawa: "hukum memakan daging/isi dan telur belangkas adalah diharuskan".
Read the full fatwa on the Sarawak website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Sarawak State Mufti Department. “Hukum makan belangkas”, 28 December 2022. https://muftinegeri.sarawak.gov.my/web/subpage/irsyad_list/#2022-12-28-hukum-makan-belangkas. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-eating-horseshoe-crab/