Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:96

"Lawful to you is the game of the sea..."

"The game of the sea" This refers to everything caught in the sea, whether edible or inedible.

"And its food" This refers to what is eaten from its catch. The meaning is: It is lawful for you to benefit from everything caught in the sea, and it is lawful for you to eat what is edible from it. According to Abu Hanifa, this is fish alone. According to Ibn Abi Layla, it is everything caught from it, interpreting the verse as: "The hunting of sea animals is lawful for you, and that you may eat it."

"As a provision for you" This is a maf‘ul lahu (an object denoting purpose). It means: "It was made lawful for you as a means of enjoyment for you." It functions in the same way as the verse: "And We gave him Isaac and Jacob as a gift" (Al-Anbiya: 72), which falls under the category of hal (state), because "as a provision for you" is specific to the food, just as "as a gift" is specific to Jacob. It means: It is made lawful for you to eat its food as a provision for your residents, who eat it fresh, and for your travelers, who take it as dried provisions—just as Moses (peace be upon him) took the fish as a provision on his journey to Al-Khidr (peace be upon them both).

It is also recited as wa-tu‘muhu (and its taste/food).

"And the game of the land" This refers to what is hunted on land, which includes creatures that breed on land, even if they live in the water at times, such as waterfowl, according to Abu Hanifa.

There is a difference of opinion regarding this:

• Some held that everything called "game" is forbidden to the muhrim (pilgrim in state of ihram). This is the view of Umar and Ibn Abbas.
• Others, including Abu Hurayrah, ‘Ata’, Mujahid, and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, permitted the muhrim to eat what a non-pilgrim (halal) has hunted, even if it was hunted for the muhrim’s sake, provided the muhrim did not direct or point it out. This also applies to what was slaughtered before the muhrim entered the state of ihram. This is the school of Abu Hanifa and his companions (may Allah have mercy on them).
• According to Malik, Al-Shafi‘i, and Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them), it is not permitted if it was hunted for the muhrim’s sake.

If you ask: How does Abu Hanifa reconcile this with the generality of the phrase "the game of the land"? I say: Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) relied on the implication of the verse: "And forbidden to you is the game of the land as long as you are in the state of ihram." Its apparent meaning is that it is the game of the muhrim themselves, not the game of others, because they are the ones being addressed. It is as if it were said: "Forbidden to you is what you hunt on land." Thus, the catch of others and what the muhrim caught while not in the state of ihram are excluded. This is supported by the verse: "O you who believe, do not kill game while you are in the state of ihram."

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) recited it as: "And He has forbidden to you the game of the land" (referring to Allah, the Almighty). It is also recited as ma dumtum (with a kasra on the dal), according to those who say dama-yidamu.