Meat, Poultry, Seafood, and Dairy Products

The rules of fiqh only partially name animals, birds, and insects that are lawful for consumption, but they also enact a set of general rules that can assist in the determination of their legal position in doubtful situations. This chapter explains these rules. Generally, all wild animals that do not have canine teeth are halal for slaughter and consumption, and all schools of Islamic law, including the Ja‘fari Shia, are in agreement on this. Excluded from the halal category are beasts of prey having canine teeth, claws, and fangs, as they feed on meat, including carrion. The chapter also discusses Qur’anic references to cattle (al-an‘am) and their permissibility for human benefit and consumption.