Hadith record

2. Al-Husayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ’I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, of fish which kind is edible?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The kind of fish that has scales is edible.’ I then asked, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what do you say about al-Kan‘at (a kind of fish with very little scales). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful to use it for food.’ I then said, ‘It does not have scales?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it has scales but it is a bad mannered fish and it sticks to everything. If you look at the base of its ears you can find scales.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.