Eating and selling frogs, monitor lizards, water snakes, crabs and the like

Question

Question: According to the Hanafis, is it permissible to eat or to sell frogs, monitor lizards, water snakes, crabs and the like? What is the opinion of the other imams and mujtahids about all these things?

Answer

Eating these animals is not permissible according to the Hanafis. If these creatures are useful for some need — for example, for external use as medicine — or if the skin of the monitor lizard is of use, then buying and selling these animals alive is proper in the Shari‘a.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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