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Is the Agouti Halal?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

Assalamu alaykum

I hope Mufti Sahab and all at Darul Iftaa are well.

Here in Trinidad there’s an animal called Agouti, from the rodent family. Some Ulamaa are of the opinion of its permissibility.

It being from the family of rodents, I find it difficult to be permissible. We will like Mufti Sahabs opinion on it.

Attached is details on the animal.

Jazakumullah

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The term agouti or common agouti designates several rodent species of the genus Dasyprocta. They are native to Middle America, northern and central South America, and the southern Lesser Antilles. Some species have also been introduced elsewhere in the West Indies. The species vary considerably in color, being brown, reddish, dull orange, greyish or blackish, but typically with lighter underparts. Their bodies are covered with coarse hair which is raised when alarmed. They have short hairless tails.

In West Africa (especially Ivory Coast), the name “agouti” designates the greater cane rat which, while an agricultural pest, is sought to be consumed as a delicacy bushmeat.[1]

The Fuqahaa state that land animals can be classified into three groups:[2]

1.     Animals that have no blood (no red ‘blood’). This includes creatures such as hornets, wasps, spiders, beetles, and scorpions. All animals that fit into this category are impermissible to consume with the exception of locusts due to the numerous Ahadith that have been narrated regarding its permissibility.[3]

 

2.     Animals that do not have ‘flowing blood’ (Damm Saail i.e. blood that gushes out when they are slaughtered). This includes rodents, amphibians and reptiles. All animals that fit into this group are impermissible to consume such as snakes, geckos, tortoise, alligators, lizards, mice, hedgehogs, frogs, insects, creepy crawlies, rodents and reptiles.[4] The Agouti will also fall under this category.

For an animal to be Halal, a valid slaughter (Dhakaat) has to take place. For a valid slaughter, gushing blood (Inhaar-ud-Damm) after slaughter is required. This is not possible in these animals.[5] 

Another reason is that these animals are considered to be khabeeth (naturally disliked) as they generally tend to eat dirt, insects, filth and other impurities. Almighty Allah has prohibited khabaaith. Consider Verse 157, Surah A’raaf,

وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ

Translation: “And making Halal (lawful and permissible) for them wholesome

things and prohibiting for them khabaa’ith”

The Four Imams of Fiqh are unanimous with regards to the impermissibility of the abovementioned animals with the exception of lizards which are Halal according to Imam Shafi (Rahimahullah).[6]

3.     Animals that have flowing blood. This includes all species of cows (bulls, bison, mountain cows and buffalos), camels and sheep etc. Many other animals will fall under this category. These animals are permissible to consume.[7] There are also multiple exceptions to this category.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Yusuf Pandor

Student Darul Iftaa

Lusaka, Zambia


Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

 


[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agouti

 

(بدائع الصنائع، ج5، ص36، دار الكتب العلمية) [2]

(وَأَمَّا) الَّذِي يَعِيشُ فِي الْبَرِّ فَأَنْوَاعٌ ثَلَاثَةٌ: مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ دَمٌ أَصْلًا، وَمَا لَيْسَ لَهُ دَمٌ سَائِلٌ، وَمَا لَهُ دَمٌ سَائِلٌ

 

 

(المبسوط، ج11، ص220، دار المعرفة) [3]

نَوْعٌ مِنْهَا مَا لَا دَمَ لَهُ، فَلَا يَحِلُّ تَنَاوُلُ شَيْءٍ مِنْهَا إلَّا السَّمَكَ، وَالْجَرَادَ

 

 

[4] (بدائع الصنائع، ج5، ص36، دار الكتب العلمية)

وَكَذَلِكَ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ دَمٌ سَائِلٌ مِثْلُ الْحَيَّةِ وَالْوَزَغِ وَسَامِّ أَبْرَصَ وَجَمِيعِ الْحَشَرَاتِ وَهَوَامِّ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ الْفَأْرِ وَالْقُرَادِ وَالْقَنَافِذِ وَالضَّبِّ وَالْيَرْبُوعِ وَابْنِ عِرْسٍ وَنَحْوِهَا، وَلَا خِلَافَ فِي حُرْمَةِ هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءِ إلَّا فِي الضَّبِّ فَإِنَّهُ حَلَالٌ عَنْدَ الشَّافِعِيِّ

 

) الهداية، ج4، ص352، دار احياء التراث العربي)

ويكره أكل الضبع والضب والسلحفاة والزنبور والحشرات كلها

 

(تبيين الحقائق، ج5، ص295، المطبعة الكبرى الأميرية)

قَوْلُهُ: وَيَدْخُلُ فِيهِ) أَيْ فِي التَّحْرِيمِ اهـ. (قَوْلُهُ: وَالْيَرْبُوعُ وَابْنُ عِرْسٍ مِنْ سِبَاعِ الْهَوَامِّ) وَالْهَوَامُّ بِتَشْدِيدِ الْمِيمِ قَالَ الْأَتْقَانِيُّ جَمْعُ الْهَامَّةِ وَهِيَ الدَّابَّةُ مِنْ دَوَابِّ الْأَرْضِ، وَجَمِيعُ الْهَوَامِّ نَحْوُ الْيَرْبُوعِ وَابْنِ عِرْسٍ وَالْقُنْفُذِ مِمَّا يَكُونُ سُكْنَاهُ الْأَرْضَ وَالْجُدُرَ مَكْرُوهٌ أَكْلُهُ لِأَنَّ الْهَوَامَّ مُسْتَخْبَثَةٌ وَقَدْ قَالَ تَعَالَى {وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ} [الأعراف: 157] وَلِأَنَّهَا تَتَنَاوَلُ النَّجَاسَاتِ فِي الْغَالِبِ وَذَلِكَ مِنْ

أَسْبَابِ الْكَرَاهَةِ

 

 

 (المبسوط، ج11، ص220، دار المعرفة) [5]

..لِأَنَّ شَرْطَ تَنَاوُلِ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ الذَّكَاةُ شَرْعًا، وَذَلِكَ لَا يَتَحَقَّقُ لَهُ فِيمَا لَا دَمَ لَهُ، إلَّا أَنَّ السَّمَكَ وَالْجَرَادَ مُسْتَثْنَى بِالنَّصِّ مِمَّا شُرِطَ فِيهِ الذَّكَاةُ لِقَوْلِهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: «أُحِلَّتْ لَنَا مَيْتَتَانِ وَدَمَانِ أَمَّا الْمَيِّتَتَانِ فَالسَّمَكُ وَالْجَرَادُ، وَأَمَّا الدَّمَانِ فَالْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَالُ»

 

 

 (بدائع الصنائع، ج5، ص36، دار الكتب العلمية) [6]

كَذَلِكَ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ دَمٌ سَائِلٌ مِثْلُ الْحَيَّةِ وَالْوَزَغِ وَسَامِّ أَبْرَصَ وَجَمِيعِ الْحَشَرَاتِ وَهَوَامِّ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ الْفَأْرِ وَالْقُرَادِ وَالْقَنَافِذِ وَالضَّبِّ وَالْيَرْبُوعِ وَابْنِ عِرْسٍ وَنَحْوِهَا، وَلَا خِلَافَ فِي حُرْمَةِ هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءِ إلَّا فِي الضَّبِّ فَإِنَّهُ حَلَالٌ عَنْدَ الشَّافِعِيِّ

 

 

(النتف في الفتاوى، ص230، دار الفرقان) [7]

حكم الْبَهَائِم: واما الْبَهَائِم فانها على سِتَّة اوجهثَلَاثَة مِنْهَا محلله بِلَا خلاف وَهِي الابل وَالْبَقر وَالشَّاة

 

 

 

 

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