Rabbit meat is a popular delicacy in different parts of the world. It is a delicious and succulent white meat that combines both healthy eating and good flavours.
This lovely delicacy makes a great addition to our meals, thanks to its unique taste.
Aside from its delicious flavour, rabbit meat is also incredibly healthy, as it contains a higher nutritional content than other types of meat. It is also lower in fat and calories.
But, is this yummy delicacy permissible for us devout Muslims? Read on to find answers!
The big question; Is rabbit halal? Yes & No! The answer to this is not as simple as it may look.
The halal status of horses and rabbits is usually met with conflicting views from all four schools of thought.
The majority considers rabbit meat halal and acceptable for the Muslim diet and here are some reasons why;
Why is rabbit considered halal?
Rabbits are considered halal for a great number of reasons, some of which include:
Backed by Hadiths and passages from the Holy Quran
Various hadiths and passages from the Quran support the consumption of rabbits.
Rabbits are nothing like swine or carrion animals, cannibals, or running blood, The Holy book clearly permitted the consumption of anything but these.
Hence it could be correctly said that rabbit is halal.
Just like all other meat, they need to meet the requirement to be classified as halal in accordance with Islamic law.
Rabbits are harmless, grass eaters
Rabbits are harmless, they feed solely on grasses amidst other plants but never hunt other animals. This singular act makes them worthy of halal status when killed in accordance with Islamic law.
The consumption of rabbits by the Holy Prophet
It has been demonstrated in various hadiths that Prophet Muhammad not just approved of rabbit flesh, but even consumed it himself. While there may be a debate as to which part was consumed, all narrators agreed that the holy Prophet Muhammad accepted it, when offered to him and ate out of it.
Who then are we to consider it haram, if the Holy Prophet did not view it as thus? Therefore, in adherence to Islamic law, provided the rabbit is killed in a halal way, the meat is halal and permissible to make a wholesome Islamic diet.
Reasons for otherwise belief that rabbits are haram?
A minority of the school of thought considers rabbits haram because;
Slaughtering process of the Rabbits
For an animal to be termed halal, It needs to be in compliance with the Islamic guide to slaughtering. Allah has created goodness in everything, hence, even the slaughtering of animals should be done in a way that doesn't put the animal in more pain than is necessary.
This unfortunately can’t be said for all rabbits, just like crocodiles, rabbits are often stoned, trapped with hurtful metals and sometimes beaten to death.
This makes the halal status of crocodiles and rabbits an often debated topic.
Animals should not be killed by any of these but by using sharpened knives, in a way that allows the animal to die peacefully - a luxury the crocodiles would never know.
They consume their own faeces
Rabbits are known to consume their own poo. This is a completely natural process, that happens because their digestive system fails to fully extract all the nutrients from the meal during the initial digestion process. It aids in the reabsorption of more nutrients, especially protein and fibre.
Some scholars classify rabbits as haram because of this, while others consider it makruh and safe for consumption it lacks any form of defecation smell.
While this process might be gross, it's vital for their well-being and just because something is gross doesn't make it haram!
Conclusion
All animals that feed on grasses are considered halal! Aside from being part of these peaceful creatures, rabbits are not enlisted among the prohibited animals in the Quran.
While rabbits are not just safe but also nutritious to the Islamic diet. We, however, beckon on you to make sure it is grown and slaughtered in the Islamic way.
Check out this site to learn more about the halal status of your favourite delicacies.