Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
Are Muslims permitted to eat snakes, bats and wild animals?
Answer:
In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for your question.
Islam has prohibited consumption of animals and creatures that are harmful to the wellbeing of humans. Accordingly, snakes, bats and wild animals are Islamicaly forbidden in the view of overwhelming muslim jurists.
“God has made the pure [and decent] lawful and the impure [and indecent] unlawful.” (Qurʿān 7:157)
The Prophet of Islam, Muḥammad (peace and blessings upon him) prohibited the eating of all fanged beasts of prey, and all birds that have talons.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Jurists state that the snake is forbidden because the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) instructed to kill the snake. Had it been permitted, he would have summoned believers to consume the snake after killing it, as he would not want any consumables to go to waste. (See: Kitāb Al-ʿOmm)
Imam Al-Nakhaʾī stated, “All birds are generally permissible except the bat.” (Ḥayāt Al-Ḥayawān)
Imam Al-Nawawī writes, “Bats are definitely impermissible for consumption.” (Al-Majmūʾ)
And Allāh Knows Best
