I would like to find out if it is permissable to do fishing as a sport or for leisure.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

It is not permissible to do fishing just to pass time and to have fun when one does not have a valid shar’ee purpose such as to keep the fish for consumption etc. Therefore, recreational fishing and sport fishing in which one catches fish merely to release them again is not permissible. Releasing the fish due to it being undersized according to the law of the country is a different issue.

To persistently spend a lot of time on fishing is not permissible as it causes ghafla (heedlessness) because of which the person is distracted from and deprived of praiseworthy as well as compulsory acts. Ibn Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Whoever pursues the game (i.e. hunted animal, fish etc.) becomes heedless.”  (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i).

Mulla Ali Qaari (May Allah be pleased with him) explains the hadith thus: “i.e. whoever persistently pursues (the animal, fish etc.) and engrosses himself in it and mounts himself in order to pursue it -- such as a pigeon etc. -- for amusement and delight, becomes heedless:  i.e. of Allah’s obedience, His worship, the congregation, and Jum’ah; and he distances himself from gentleness and mercy because of his resemblance with a predatory animal and a beast.” (Mirqaatul Mafaatih vol. 7 pg. 279)

In short, to fish with a valid shar’ee purpose, such as to keep the fish for eating, is permissible. To incessantly and persistently spend a lot of time on fishing is not permissible. To fish just for the sake of fishing without the intention of keeping the fish is also not permissible.

فتاوى محموديه: ج 17 ص 200-203 مكتبة شيخ الاسلام ديوبند

في كتاب الصيد من تنوير الأبصار: هو مباح إلا للتلهي إلخ ؛ وفي الدر المختار: كما هو ظاهر ؛ وقال ابن عابدين رحمه الله: ( قوله كما هو ظاهر ) لأن مطلق اللهو منهي عنه إلا في ثلاث كما مر في الحظر ( رد المحتار: ج 10 ص 53 ط دار المعرفة )

قال ابن حجر رحمه الله: وفيه إباحة الاصطياد للانتفاع بالصيد للأكل والبيع وكذا اللهو بشرط قصد التذكية والانتفاع ، وكرهه مالك، وخالفه الجمهور...(و بعد أسطر)... فإن لازمه وأكثر منه كره، لأنه قد يشغله عن بعض الواجبات وكثير من المندوبات وأخرج الترمذي من حديث ابن عباس رفعه: "من سكن البادية جفا، ومن اتبع الصيد غفل" ( فتح الباري: ج 12 ص 752 ط دار الكتب العلمية )

وقال بدر الدين العيني رحمه الله: فإن فعله بغير نية التذكية فهو حرام لأنه فساد في الأرض وإتلاف نفس عبثا وقد نهى سيدنا رسول الله عن قتل الحيوان إلا لمأكلة ونهى أيضا عن الإكثار من الصيد وروى الترمذي من حديث ابن عباس رضي الله تعالى عنهما مرفوعا من سكن البادية فقد جفا ومن اتبع الصيد فقد غفل ومن لزم السلطان افتتن ( عمدة القاري: ج 21 ص 138 ط دار الكتب العلمية )

وقال الملا علي القارئ رحمه الله: ( ومن اتبع الصيد ) : أي لازم اتباع الصيد والاشتغال به ، وركب على تتبع الصيد كالحمام ونحوه لهوا وطربا ( غفل ) : أي عن الطاعة والعبادة ولزوم الجماعة والجمعة ، وبعد عن الرقة والرحمة لشبهه بالسبع والبهيمة ( مرقاة المفاتيح: ج 7 ص 279 ط رشيدية )

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Wassalaamu `alaykum

Ml. Faizal Riza

Correspondence Iftaa Student, Australia

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai 

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