Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Someone recently was discussing what animals are halaal and haraam and wanted to know if we can eat horse 

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Answer:

Horse Meat Halaal

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.530 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah

On the day of Khaibar, Allah's Messenger (saws) forbade the eating of donkey meat and allowed the eating of horse meat.

The list of halaal or permissible foods in Islam in endless! Allah and His Messenger (saws) have listed the foods which are haraam or forbidden. The law or principle in determining whether a food is halaal or haraam, the believers must look in the list of the haraam foods, and if not found in that list, that food will be considered halaal for the believers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 3-4:

3 Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah, that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any forced by hunger with no inclination to transgression Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

4 They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food): say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah; eat what they catch for you but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.

5 This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you, and yours is lawful unto them.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 157:

157 Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet (Mohamed (saws)) whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures); in the law and the Gospel; for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil: he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); he releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him honor him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him, it is they who will prosper."

Thus, in light of the above Aayahs of the Holy Quran and the various authentic narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws), here is the list of the haraam foods:

1. The meat of any animal that dies of itself or is not slaughtered (including fall, strangling, gored to death, etc.)
2. The flesh of swine
3. The food on which any name other than Allah Subhanah’s has been invoked
4. The food that is slaughtered by any other than the believers, Jews or Christians.
5. The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the believers to eat the meat of any animal which hunts with its fangs. (eg. Lions, tigers, cheetahs, etc.)
6. The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the believers to eat the meat of any bird which hunts with its claws. (eagles, crows, etc.)
7. All the impure animals and insects are forbidden as food. (rats, cockroaches, pests, etc.)
8. The Messenger of Allah (saws) also forbade the believers to eat dogs and domestic donkeys.

If the food does not fall in the list of the haraam, it will be considered halaal and permissible for the believers as food.

It is practically impossible to name each and every halaal food, as the list is endless. But we will try to compile a list only as an indication. The following are absolutely halaal for the believers.

1. All vegetation is halaal food.
2. All animals and birds that are not listed in the haraam list, are halaal as food for the believers provided they fulfill the requirements of slaughter.
3. All sea-food is halaal, whether it be fish, crabs, lobster, prawns, etc.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan