� A truly halalan toyyiban seafood supply demands ecological responsibility, ethical sourcing, and protection of coastal ecosystems.

� Despite existing halal food and aquaculture guidelines, there is no integrated framework that unites religious compliance, environmental sustainability, and food safety.

� By aligning Islamic principles with sustainable aquaculture practices, Malaysia can set a global model for ethical seafood production while boosting the blue economy.

However, fish populations can be depleted due to overfishing, which can cause environmental disruptions and put the lives of people at risk, especially those who depend on the seafood sector. While Malaysia has a general halal standard for food production( MS1500), there is currently no specific halal standard that directly governs seafood or aquaculture practices.

Nevertheless, Islamic principles such as mizan( balance) and khalifah( stewardship) offer a moral foundation for integrating sustainability into the halal seafood sector. These values call for ethical and responsible use of marine resources, discouraging wasteful and harmful practices.

Aligning sustainable fisheries and aquaculture with these principles is a step toward ensuring a halalan toyyiban seafood supply that supports both ecological integrity and human livelihoods.

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

According to Islamic teachings, Allah SWT created all that exists on Earth and entrusted natural resources to humanity as provisions to sustain life. Consequently, these resources are to be regarded as vital assets essential for fulfilling human needs. The Quran

By HABIBA KHATUN SHIHA AND NURHIDAYU AL-SAARI

International Institute for Halal Research and Training, International Islamic University Malaysia makes several references that support the consumption of seafood.

One of the most cited verses is from Surah Al-Ma ' idah( 5:96), which states that the pursuit of water game is lawful for food. While these references affirm the general permissibility of marine resources, scholars have expressed differing views on what exactly qualifies as halal seafood.

In Islam, halal dietary laws guide what is permissible to eat, including seafood. While fish with scales are generally accepted as halal by all schools of thought, opinions vary regarding other marine creatures. Some scholars, especially those from the Hanafi tradition, restrict consumption to scaled fish, excluding shellfish and cephalopods such as squid.

Others, such as those from the Shafi ' i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools, take a broader view, permitting most forms of seafood. These differences arise from diverse interpretations of Quranic and Hadith texts. These diverse views can help shape flexible policies for managing natural resources, including sustainable seafood and global seafood trade, while staying firm to Islamic faith.

COASTAL INTEGRITY

The coastal seafood industry encompasses fishing, farming, processing, and selling seafood harvested from coastal areas, including shallow seas, estuaries, and mangrove zones. It includes activities like prawn farming, fish cage culture, shellfish harvesting, and seaweed cultivation, often carried out near shorelines or in brackish water environments.

A genuinely sustainable halal seafood industry demands not only that food be permissible but that it is also responsibly produced within the natural limits of the ecosystem. This is where halal principles converge with coastal stewardship. The Quranic values of khalifah( stewardship), mizan( balance), and amanah( trust) urge Muslims to protect nature while benefiting from it.

These ethics are deeply relevant in aquaculture, where farm siting, water quality, feed sources, and waste discharge can directly impact the surrounding coastal environment.

Coastal aquaculture, while promising for food security, also raises pressing environmental concerns. Fish farms located near shorelines are particularly vulnerable to pollutants from agricultural runoff, industrial waste, and urban discharge.

These pollutants often include heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, and lead, which can accumulate in sediment and be absorbed by fish, particularly bottom feeders. When seafood carries toxic residues, it no longer meets the criteria of toyyib, i. e. wholesome, clean, and safe. Even if the animal itself is considered halal, its exposure to contaminants may render it unsuitable for consumption under Islamic ethics.

Another growing concern in aquaculture is the use of non-halal ingredients in fish feed, such as blood meal or byproducts from non-halal sources. Even fish raised in clean environments may fail to meet halalan toyyiban standards if the feed is not permissible. Beyond religious compliance, feed sourcing and disposal also impact coastal ecosystems.

In open-water farms, for example, uneaten feed and waste can pollute the seabed, degrade water quality, cause harmful algal blooms and harm biodiversity. Feeds sourced from overfished or unethical sources add further ecological strain.

Currently, no halal-certified fish feed is commercially available, despite the guiding principles outlined in the OIC / SMIIC 23:2022( SMIIC & OIC, 2022), which prohibits najs ingredients and requires safety from contaminants such as antibiotics and genetically modified organisms( GMOs).

As these standards have yet to be translated into national aquafeed policy, routine practice or any halal certification scheme, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable, halal-certified aquafeed. Doing so would ensure that coastal aquaculture is not only religiously compliant but also environmentally responsible.

Food safety systems such as HACCP, GMP, and the Codex Alimentarius ensure hygiene and handling standards. Additionally, in Malaysia, JAKIM ' s halal certification