Jaira جیرا جھینگا
White prawn · Penaeidae
Halal (named exception) · Ja'fari fiqh
No rate on record for this fish yet.
How this verdict was reached
Sistani, official Q&A (Fish)
It is not permissible to eat from marine animals anything except fish that has scale; shrimp is considered from that category.
https://www.sistani.org/english/qa/01184/
Fiqh basis: Sistani (only scaled fish + shrimp); Khamenei ('only scaled fish, shrimp and some sea birds are Halal. The rest are Haram'); Khomeini (partial scales suffice)
Jaira at a glance
| English name | White prawn |
|---|---|
| Urdu name | جیرا جھینگا |
| Scientific family | Penaeidae |
| Scales | Not applicable — a shell, not scales |
| Bones | No bones — cartilage only |
| Taste | Very good |
| Typical weight | ~45–50 pieces/kg (small); big prawn ~20 pieces/kg |
| Best for | Curry/BBQ |
| Also sold as | Jeera Prawn |
Common questions
Is Jaira halal?
Under Ja'fari (Shia) fiqh, Jaira is halal, as a named exception. Not applicable — a shell, not scales. Ja'fari fiqh requires a fish to have true scales; most Sunni schools do not, so this verdict is specific to Ja'fari fiqh.
What is Jaira called in English?
Jaira (جیرا جھینگا) is called White prawn in English. It is also sold as Jeera Prawn.
What is the price of Jaira in Karachi?
No rate on record for this fish yet.
Does Jaira have a lot of bones?
No bones — cartilage only.