Are prawns and seafood halal?

Fish is halal by unanimity and requires no ritual slaughter: “Lawful to you is the game of the sea and its food” (Qur’an 5:96). You can order fish anywhere — just watch the cooking (wine-based sauces, shared fryers with non-halal products).

For seafood — prawns, crab, mussels, squid — three schools out of four (Maliki, Shafi‘i, Hanbali) consider everything that lives exclusively in the sea permissible. The Hanafi school permits only “samak” (fish), so crustaceans and molluscs are discouraged or impermissible depending on the opinion followed.

Practically: if you follow the Hanafi school, skip the prawns; otherwise they are permissible for the majority. Tuna, salmon, cod and sardines are a safe bet for everyone.