Which Land and Sea Creatures are Permissible to Eat

Question :

I would like to know which land animals are permissible to eat, for I have heard it is permissible to eat the turtle for example, and the pigeon and the frog.

Answer:

First of all, it is necessary for you to know the basic principle regarding foods' permissibility - except those things for which there is evidence of prohibition. If we are in doubt about whether something is permissible or forbidden, then it is permissible until it becomes clear that it is prohibited. The evidence for this is the in the Words of Allah, Most High:
"He it is Who created for you all that is on earth."

For His Words: "He it is Who created for you all that is on earth" includes everything on the earth, including animals, plants, clothing and other things.

And Allah, Most High says:
"And has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; it is all as a favour and kindness from Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people who think deeply.

And the Prophet said:
"And whatever He was silent about, it is excused."

And the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Verily Allah has obligated the obligations so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits so do not transgress them.

And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them."

According to this principle, all animals are permissible until the evidence of prohibition is established.

The forbidden things include domestic donkeys, according to the Hadith of Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "On the day of (the Battle of) Khaibar, the Prophet ordered Abu Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, to announce: 'Verily, Allah and His Messenger forbid for you the meat of the domestic donkey, for it is impure."

Also included among these things is every predatory animal which has fangs that it uses to tear the flesh of its prey, such as the wolf, the lion, the elephant and other such animals.

Also included is every bird having talons with which it hunts, such as the eagle, the hawk, the falcon, the kite and other such birds. This is because the Prophet forbade eating every predatory animal possessing fangs and every bird possessing talons.

Also included are those animals which the Islamic Law has ordered to be killed or forbidden to be killed. As for those creatures which the Islamic Law has ordered to be killed, they cannot be eaten because that which the Islamic Law has ordered to be killed is by its nature harmful, so if a person eats of it, he might wind up with something harmful from it, and it might result in him harming people. As for (eating) that, which the Lawgiver has forbidden to be killed, it is due to the obligation to treat it kindly, since the Lawgiver forbids killing it. Among those creatures He ordered killing are the crow and the kite. And among those creatures whose killing He forbade are the ant, the bee, the hoopoe and the shrike.

Also included among them is that which was born of an animal which may be eaten and one which may not be eaten. For example the mule. This is because one of its parents was permissible and the other forbidden. In this case the forbidden portion overrides the permissible portion, since it is not possible to leave the forbidden portion without avoiding the permissible portion. So it is necessary to abstain from it.

Also included in them is that which feeds off carrion, such as the vulture, the Rakhm and other similar creatures.

These are seven types which the Islamic Law has declared to be forbidden. Although scholars have differed regarding some of them, these things are to be referred back to their basic principle.

As for sea creatures, all of them are permissible, both large and small, based upon the Words of Allah, Most High:
"Lawful to you is (the pursuit of) water game and its use for food-for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel."

Its game is what is caught alive and its food is what is found dead. It was explained thus on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, and others. Also the Prophet ﷺ said regarding the sea :
"Its water is pure and its dead are permissible."

There is no exceptions to sea creatures all that is in it is permissible according to the generality of the Verse and the Hadith. Some of the scholars have made an exception for the frog, the crocodile and the snake, but the most authoritative view is that everything that does not live except in the sea is permissible. And Allah knows best.