Seawater, river water and lake water are pure and purifying, and their creatures are lawful to catch and eat: Purification and the types of water.

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy

Book of Purification (Bulūgh Al-Marām of Al-Hāfidh Ibn Hajr)

Chapter on the Types of Water

(no. 1)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏- فِي اَلْبَحْرِ: هُوَ اَلطَّهُورُ مَاؤُهُ, اَلْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُهُ
أَخْرَجَهُ اَلْأَرْبَعَةُ, وَابْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ, وَصَحَّحَهُ اِبْنُ خُزَيْمَةَ وَاَلتِّرْمِذِيُّ

Abu Hurairah (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said regarding the sea, “Its water is purifying and its dead creatures are lawful (to eat).” ¹Reported by the four books of Sunan, also Ibn Abī Shaybah and the wording is from him. It was graded saheeh by Ibn Khuzaimah and At-Tirmidhi. (And Shaikh Al-Albāni graded it as saheeh)

Benefits

1. The narrator is the companion Abu Hurairah Abdur-Rahmān Ibn Sakhr; died in Madinah in 59 AH at the age of 78, may Allah be pleased with him.
2. At-Tahoor means that the sea water is itself pure, and it purifies other than it. And that is the intent in this hadeeth.
3. It is permitted to catch and eat the creatures of the sea, rivers and lakes.
4. The intent of “dead creatures” is whatever dies in the sea from those creatures that do not and cannot live except in water.²Subulus-Salām 1/38.
5. ‘Umar (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) stated in an authentic narration: “And is there any water that is purer than seawater!”³Abu ‘Ubayd (241), Ibn Abī Shaybah (1/130).
6. This hadeeth proves that the scholar can expand and clarify an issue beyond what he was asked if he sees a benefit in that. The Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) was asked about the sea, so he provided additional benefits.

Footnotes:

• 1
  Reported by the four books of Sunan, also Ibn Abī Shaybah and the wording is from him. It was graded saheeh by Ibn Khuzaimah and At-Tirmidhi. (And Shaikh Al-Albāni graded it as saheeh)
• 2
  Subulus-Salām 1/38.
• 3
  Abu ‘Ubayd (241), Ibn Abī Shaybah (1/130).