Among land creatures, pigs, dogs, predatory creatures which have sharp teeth and claws and talons, like lions, foxes, rabbits, wolves, elephants and so on are considered as haram. The only prohibited animals are pigs and reptiles.
Pork is haram (forbidden) to eat, because its essence is considered impure, this is based on the verse of the Qur'an where it is described as being rijs (Arabic: رِجْس, impure) (Quran 6:145). Forbidden (haram) is also the meat of domesticated donkeys, mules, any predatory animal with canine teeth and birds with talons.
Permissible meats and animals
This means that most herbivores or cud-chewing animals like cattle, deer, sheep, goats, and antelope are considered halal to consume. Animals hunted by trained birds and animals are also permitted according to the Quran 5:4.
In some parts of Africa, it's a delicacy enjoyed by locals. However, due to laws and regulations, it's not something you'll find on a menu in the US. Elephant meat is tough and fibrous, making it a challenge to chew. The taste is often described as similar to beef but with a distinctive flavor all its own.
Halal foods meet Islamic dietary guidelines and are allowed for consumption. If slaughtered/harvested properly, beef, lamb, goat, venison, bison, chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish can be halal meats. Pork and alcohol are considered haram (forbidden).
Meats of pigs, boars, and swine are strictly prohibited in Islam, and so are meats of carnivorous animals such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, dogs, and cats(1), and birds of prey such as eagles, falcons, ospreys, kites, and vultures.
The first opinion, it is haram to eat the flesh and drink the milk of their milk for they are considered najis. This is the opinion of Abu Ishaq al-Marwazi, al-Qaffal, Imam al-Ghazali and al-Baghawi. Second opinion, it is makruh tanzih.
All kinds of elephants are now hunted, especially for meat. This especially occurs in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In ivory hunting by poachers, the meat may end up being sold as a by-product or taken to feed hunting parties.
With the decline of the primate population, the meat of the gorillas and chimpanzees - as well as that of the other protected species such as elephants, anteaters, and mandrills (a rare species of baboon) - has become a luxury commodity and a culinary delicacy.
It's legal both to kill and eat lion in the United States, though it's not legal to hunt them and then sell the meat. Practically speaking, it's not easy to get, given that most lion is acquired from game preserve stock or retired circus animals or exotic animal businesses.
Satay, Mutabak, Rendang and Soto – among these popular Muslim foods, there is hardly a trace of one particular meat, and we're not referring to the prohibited pork. Strangely, even though duck is permitted by Islam, it is not as widely featured in its gastronomic offerings.
While of course opinions vary and the elite in many Muslim countries keep dogs as status symbols, the majority of Muslims see dogs as dirty, impure, sometimes even evil.
Although many Muslims in other countries do not view touching dogs as forbidden, conservative Islamic groups here say the Shafie school of Islamic jurisprudence that they follow views dogs as unclean and requires the faithful to undergo a ritualistic wash if they come into contact with canines.
Due primarily to the love Muhammad (Pbuh) displayed for Muezza, Muslims are traditionally encouraged to cherish cats.
But even then, these are not mentioned in the Qur'anic verse, and as such, they are, at most, only reprehensible or makrooh to eat. Hence, ostrich meat is permissible to eat in Islam.
'Abdullāh ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Two kinds of dead meat and two kinds of blood have been made lawful for you. The two kinds of dead meat are fish and locusts, and the two kinds of blood are the liver and spleen."
Bushmeat comes from a variety of wild animals, including bats, nonhuman primates (monkeys and apes), cane rats (grasscutters), and duiker (antelope).
According to Hicks, monkey meat is common in bush meat stalls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central Africa in general, with red-tailed and crowned guenons, baboons and agile mangabeys being the most common.
As mentioned, hunter-gatherers in Africa have been eating hippo meat for centuries. The taste of the flesh is often described as being similar to beef, with a slightly sweet flavor and tough texture that can be improved by marinating it before cooking or smoking over an open fire.
The Kangaroo has been historically a staple source of protein for Indigenous Australians. Kangaroo meat is very high in protein and very low in fat (about 2%).
While most regular people would frown upon eating giraffe meat, it is quite the delicacy among exotic meat lovers. Giraffe meat is like any other bush meat packed with protein and has its own delectable and distinct taste and flavor profile.
Bear meat consumption is highest in northern Japan, where it is sold in cans and even as instant curry. It has a slightly gamey flavour that some have likened to venison, and is often served in stew.
“For the majority of scholars, it is forbidden to eat it, as it is an insect. But, the Maliki school of fiqh permits it, just like locusts.” Alloush explained that the prohibition is partly due to the difficultly of slaughtering snails under the rules of Sharia.
The meat of ahli donkey (domesticated/reared) is prohibited to be eaten because its meat is najis as stated in the above discussion. While the meat of wild donkeys is halal to be eaten and this is the opinion cited by Imam al-Nawawi and all scholars have agreed (without khilaf) regarding this matter.
Thus some animals such as camels and rabbits are halal, but not kosher. Kashrut requires strict separation of dairy and meat products, even when they are kosher.