Eating Imported Tuna from Thailand

Question

A question regarding the permissibility of consuming tuna imported from Thailand. [AR_ID:544]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you. The ruling on eating tuna imported from Thailand is as follows: According to Sayyid Sistani and Sayyid Khamenei, there are two conditions for the permissibility of eating fish: First, it must have scales. Second, it must be caught alive by the fisherman or die in the fishing net or enclosure. It is not required for the fisherman to be Muslim, nor is it necessary to mention the name of Allah when slaughtering the fish. Therefore, if a non-Muslim catches the fish alive or it dies in the net or enclosure and it has scales, it is permissible to eat it. If there is doubt whether the fish has scales, Sayyid Sistani rules that it is not permissible to eat it, while Sayyid Khamenei rules that it is permissible. Regarding the first condition, it is easier to verify if the fish is not skinned. If it is skinned, as in canned fish, and the label indicates it is a type with scales, such as tuna or sardines, and the exporting country adheres to strict regulations, it may be considered permissible. For the second condition, imported fish in the hands of Muslims or in Muslim markets can generally be trusted to meet this condition, as commercial quantities of fish are typically caught using modern ships that ensure the fish is brought out alive. Thus, it is permissible to take and eat fish from non-Muslims just as it is from Muslims, whether canned or not.