Short answer
Yes. Tuna, salmon and all true fish are halal in all four schools, and fish does not need to be slaughtered or have bismillah said over it. For canned or flavoured tuna, check that the oil, broth or seasoning has no non-halal additives.
All kinds of fish are halal without slaughter. The one Hanafi exception is a fish that died by itself in the water with no outside cause and floats on the surface (al-samak al-tafi), which is makruh tahrimi.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- A fish found dead and floating is also halal.
- Maliki
- A fish found dead and floating is also halal.
- Hanbali
- A fish found dead and floating is also halal.
Explanation
Fish is one of the two kinds of dead animal that are lawful without slaughter. When the Companions asked about the sea, the Prophet ﷺ said its water is pure and its dead are lawful. So tuna caught by a non-Muslim fishing boat, frozen tuna steaks and canned tuna are all halal in themselves.
The Hanafi school limits sea food to fish. That is why this answer is easy for tuna but different for shrimp and crab and lobster. Eel, sardines, anchovies, cod and catfish are all fish and halal.
The one fish Hanafis avoid is one that died naturally in the water and floated up. Fish that dies because it was caught, netted, left out of water, or killed by cold or heat is halal. Commercial tuna is caught, so this exception does not affect it.
What to check on the label:
- Tuna in water, brine, sunflower or olive oil is fine.
- Flavoured tuna, or tuna in broth, can contain meat stocks or flavourings: check the list.
- Tuna in a restaurant dish may be cooked with wine or in shared oil.
Use the halal food checker for single ingredients.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Maaida 5:96
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُۥ مَتَٰعًۭا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ ۖ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًۭا ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٩٦﴾
Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for you and the travelers, but forbidden to you is game from the land as long as you are in the state of ihram. And fear Allah to whom you will be gathered.
Makes the catch of the sea lawful.
Quran, Surah An-Nahl 16:14
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ ٱلْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُوا۟ مِنْهُ لَحْمًۭا طَرِيًّۭا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُوا۟ مِنْهُ حِلْيَةًۭ تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى ٱلْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٤﴾
And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Fish is named as a provision from Allah.
Sunan Abi Dawud 83
Graded sahih... هو الطهور ماؤه الحل ميتته ...
"Its water is pure and its dead animals are lawful."
Fish from the sea is lawful without slaughter.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Dhaba'ih, on sea animals. Only fish is eaten from the sea, and the floating dead fish is disliked.
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Dhaba'ih. Fish needs no slaughter; the exception of al-samak al-tafi.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.