Question: Is it allowed to eat the meat of elephants, giraffes, and Kangaroos? What is the principle in eating the meat of animals?

Answer: It is known in that the Shariah came with principles in this chapter. So every bird with talons and every animal with fangs is Haram. As that has come from the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam [Saheeh Muslim no. 1934]. Likewise whatever is related to filth and considered filthy. As for details in what is related to the types of animals, then this returns to the texts. However, the origin is permissibility until their comes an evidence for prohibition or it enters in the general rules: like animals which hunt with their fangs or talons from wild beasts, birds, or it is from what is considered filthy and the likes of this. This ruling applies for the remaining of the animals”.

[Taken from Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 463]

Translated by

Faisal ibn Abdul Qaadir ibn Hassan

Abu Sulaymaan