FatwaFederal TerritoriesFood & Halal
AL-KAFI #1670 : PERLUKAH MENYEMBELIH BELALANG DAN BOLEHKAH IA DIMAKAN HIDUP-HIDUP?
Does a locust need to be slaughtered, and may it be eaten alive?
Short answer
Locusts are lawful to eat whether they are killed or die on their own, and slaughter is not required.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Food & Halal
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Locusts are lawful to eat whether they are killed or die on their own, and slaughter is not required. The fatwa prefers this majority view over Imam Malik's position that the locust must first be killed by some cause. Eating or swallowing a locust alive is disliked (makruh) because it may cause it pain, so it is better to kill it before cooking or eating it.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Manakala memakannya atau menelannya secara hidup-hidup hukumnya adalah makruh kerana kemungkinan perbuatan tersebut menyakiti dan menyeksanya.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1670 : PERLUKAH MENYEMBELIH BELALANG DAN BOLEHKAH IA DIMAKAN HIDUP-HIDUP?”, 20 March 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/4355-al-kafi-1670-perlukah-menyembelih-belalang-dan-bolehkah-ia-dimakan-hidup-hidup. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/slaughter-locust-eat-alive-ruling/