Permissible Foods

**General Principle:** Every food that is pure (tahir) and causes no harm is permissible. **Permissible foods are two types:** Animals and Plants (grains, fruits). Animals are two types: **Sea animals** and **Land animals**. --- **I. SEA ANIMALS:** Sea creatures are those that only live in water, like various types of fish. **Ruling:** All halal **except**: - What is poisonous/harmful - forbidden due to harm - What is disgusting/filthy (mustakhbath) - like frogs (also forbidden to kill), and crocodiles (disgusting and has fangs) **Evidence:** "And He prohibits for them evil things" [Al-A'raf: 157]. **Additional Points:** - Sea animals are permissible whether caught by a Muslim or non-Muslim - Whether it has a similar animal on land that's permissible or not - Sea animals **do not require slaughter** **Evidence:** - Allah says: "Lawful for you is hunting from the sea and its food, as provision for you and travelers" [Al-Ma'idah: 96] - Ibn Abbas said: "Its hunting is what is caught, and its food is what the sea casts out" - The Prophet ﷺ said regarding the sea: "Its water is pure, its dead are halal" [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasai - authentic] --- **II. LAND ANIMALS:** **A. Cattle (An'am):** Halal by explicit text. **Evidence:** - "And the grazing livestock He has created for you; in them is warmth and benefits, and from them you eat" [An-Nahl: 5] - "O you who have believed, fulfill contracts. Lawful for you are the animals of grazing livestock except for that announced to you" [Al-Ma'idah: 1] --- **B. Horses:** **Evidence:** Jabir said: "The Prophet ﷺ forbade donkey meat on the day of Khaybar, and permitted horse meat" [Bukhari & Muslim]. --- **C. Lizard (Dhabb):** **Evidence:** Ibn Abbas said: "The lizard was eaten at the table of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ" [Bukhari & Muslim]. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Eat, for it is halal, but it is not from my food" [Agreed upon]. --- **D. Wild Donkey:** **Evidence:** Abu Qatadah saw a wild donkey and hunted it. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do you have any of its meat?" They said: "We have its leg." He took it and ate it [Agreed upon]. --- **E. Rabbit:** **Evidence:** Anas narrated that he caught a rabbit, Abu Talha slaughtered it and sent its hindquarters to the Prophet ﷺ, who accepted it [Agreed upon]. --- **F. Hyena:** **Evidence:** Jabir asked the Prophet ﷺ about the hyena. He said: "It is game, and a ram is required if hunted [by one in ihram]" [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi - authentic]. --- **G. Chicken:** **Evidence:** Abu Musa said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ eating chicken meat" [Agreed upon]. Geese and ducks are included as they are from good foods. --- **H. Locusts:** **Evidence:** Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa said: "We went on seven or six campaigns with the Prophet ﷺ and ate locusts with him" [Bukhari & Muslim].