Is It Permissible to Feed Fish Live Prey Like Brine Shrimp and Worms?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Can I feed my fish live brine shrimp or worms I breed, place them in a tank with shrimp or snails they might eat, or give them excess snails as food?
Answer
Nothing in Sacred Law prohibits feeding your fish live brine shrimp, worms, or excess snails, especially since this mimics their natural behavior and diet. Such practices align with the natural cycles of life, and the sustenance Allah (Most High) has provided for His creation.
Allah (Most High) says: “And He created everything, then determined it precisely.” [Quran, 25:2].
This verse beautifully highlights the intricate precision and harmony in Allah’s creation, particularly in the natural diets and behaviors of animals. Feeding fish in this way aligns with divine wisdom and is indeed permissible. Allah knows best.
May Allah bless us all.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Mohammad Abu Bakr Badhib
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.
