Islamic Knowledge

What can Muslims eat

1 We can eat all fruit and vegetables.

2 We can eat all fish and sea food but not frogs nor crocodiles as crocodiles have fangs (fish do not have to be slaughtered)

Allah say

Lawful to you is (the pursuit of) water-game and its use for food - for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel...(5:96)

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “ Sayduhu (lit. hunting, pursuit) refers to whatever is taken from it alive, and ta’aamuhu (lit. its food) means whatever is taken dead.”

3 There are certain animals who are halal (lawful) as long as they have been slaughtered in the Islamic way

These animals are  cows, sheep, lamb, chickens, hens, turkey, ducks, camels, goats, goose, ostrich, etc if they are slaughtered in the halal way.

Allah says

“Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allah’s Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal)”

[al-An’aam 6:121]

So the halal way of slaughtering an Animal which is regarded as halal to eat is having a sharp knife saying Bismillaah, wa Allaahu akbar (In the name of Allaah and Allaah is Most Great). and then cutting the throat and oesophagus of the animal and letting the blood flow. After the blood has drained out the animal is fit for consumption (note the head can only be cut of after the blood has drained out. It is also sunnah to have the anima's head facing the qibla. note if the animal is killed in any other way (such as by strangulation, electric shock, stunning, poison etc) it becomes Haram to eat.

al-Saheehayn that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) slaughtered two rams with his own hand, and he said Bismillaah and Allaahu akbar. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7/130, no. 5554; Muslim, 3/1556, no. 1966; Ahmad, 3/115. 

4 An Animal who is normally allowed to eat but it has fed on haram feed is known as Jallaalah and it cannot be eaten until it has been kept for three days and nights and fed only with halal feed.

It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘ (6/193): Jallaalah – which refers to animals most of whose food is najis – is haraam, as is its milk, because of the report narrated by Ibn ‘Umar who said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade eating jallaalah or (drinking) its milk. Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhi who said: (it is) hasan ghareeb. It was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwaa’, 2503…

… (it is haraam) until it has been kept for three days and nights, because if Ibn ‘Umar wanted to eat (such an animal), he would keep it for three days and feed it with pure food, and prevent it from eating impure food, whether it was a bird or animal, because the factor that was preventing it from being halaal would be removed thereby. End quote.

5 Narrated Anas regarding the story of the hare: he (Abu Talha) slaughtered it and sent its launch to Allah's Messenger (SAW) and he accepted it. (Agreed Upon).

6 Narrated Ibn Abu Ammar. I asked jabir, "Is hyena a game ?" He replied, "Yes." I asked "Did Allah's Messenger (SAW) say that?" He replied, "Yes." (Reported by Ahmad and Al-Arba'a. Al-Bukhari and ibn hibban graded it Sahih)

7 Narrated Abu Qatada regarding the Zebra's story; the Prophet (SAW) ate from it. (Agreed upon)

8 Ibn 'Umar said that the Prophet said: We have been allowed two dead things and two bloody things: fish and locusts; and liver and spleen. (Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Ad-Daraqutni )  (noe as long as liver and spleen is from an animal which is halal to eat)

9 Certain foods are allowed although the prophet disliked to eat them himself.

“Khaalid ibn al-Waleed reported that some grilled lizard meat was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and put in front of him. He stretched out his hand to take some, but one of the people present said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it is lizard meat,’ so he pulled his hand back. Khaalid ibn al-Waleed asked, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, is lizard haraam?’ He said, ‘No, but it is not known among my people and I cannot face eating it.’ So Khaalid took some of the lizard meat and ate it, whilst the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) looked on.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4981, al-Nisaa'i, 4242, and Abu Dawood, 3300).