Wants clarification about a Fatwa discussing customary foods
1-3-2005 | IslamWeb
Question:
I have a query regarding Haraam and Halaal food permitted and restricted by Allaah. Few days back I read in a news paper one Fatwa issued by Shaykh Abdul Hamid Al Atarsh (Head of the Fatwa Centre Al-Azhar Islamic University) saying that eating dogs, monkey and cats is "Halaal" for your reference I write down the full article of the said Fatwa which is published in Gulf News. After issuing a Fatwa asking Egyptians to eat locusts that invaded the country last week, head of the Fatwa Centre in Al-Azhar declared eating monkeys, flies, rats, elephants, cats, dogs and butterflies is also considered Halaal (permissible) in Islam. In a recent interview with London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, Abdul Hameed Al Atrash said some Asians eats worms, dogs and cats, which is allowed in Islam. Yet, to many others it is considered disgusting.
The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, did not eat dab lizard, not because it is forbidden in Islam, but because he was disgusted by it. Still, someone ate it in front of him. That's why a Muslim can eat any animal unless it is forbidden in the Holy Qur'an'.
Al-Atarsh said even eating a fly is allowed. But who eats it? It is a disgusting insect, he commented. He said food is all a matter of tradition and culture. 'There are people who got used to eating certain animals. In Jordan, when I tried to eat veal meat with yoghurt, which the Jordanians relish, I couldn't stand it. Then I got used to it after a while.' Asked about guidelines on eating the flesh of human beings, which is forbidden in Islam, Al Atarsh said, 'Islam allows eating the flesh of human beings, pork and even drinking alcohol in cases of emergency, when there is nothing else to eat or drink and survival is threatened.'
My questions are as follows:
1) Whether we can eat any animal unless it is forbidden in the Holy Qur'an?
2) Is food is all a matter of tradition and culture so we can eat any animal?
3) I don't understand why he declared this Fatwa. Is it correct or not?
Please I request you to give this question answer with reference of Holy Qur'an and Sunnah.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
In principle, all kinds of food are permissible as long as there is no specific text that prohibits them. Allaah Says (what means): {Say, O Muhammad: "I find not in that which has been inspired to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be a dead animal or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine, for that surely is impure, or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah.} [Quran 6:145] Also, the Sunnah has prohibited eating the meat of some animals.
Some scholars 
may explain the verse or the Prophetic narration to mean that it is disliked to eat the meat of some animals with their evidence being the above verse, and they may include many kinds of food (or meats). This is surely what has made the said Shaykh issue the said Fatwa, if it is truly attributed to him, and this does not mean that he is denying the Sunnah. There could also be some difference of opinion in relation to the meat of certain animals, based on the subject matter whether such animals are pure or impure according to the verse of Allaah (which means): {He allows them as lawful all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc…, and prohibits them as unlawful all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc…} [Quran 7:157] Moreover, the difference in opinion could be due to other things. What has been considered by a text [from the Quran or Sunnah] to be forbidden for us should be considered as forbidden, unless evidence proves that the forbiddance mentioned in the Quran or the Sunnah could be dislikeable only.
Finally, we would like to draw your attention to the following:
1. Eating locusts is permissible as the Prophet said: "There are two dead animals that are permissible for us to eat: fish and locust." [Ibn Maajah]
2. The fact that some people are disgusted by eating the meat of some kinds of animals is not an evidence that they are forbidden. The narration of the Prophet when he was asked about the eating of the dabs lizard in which he said: "I neither eat it, nor do I prohibit it," is an evidence on this matter.
3. 'Necessity makes what is forbidden permissible', is a rule that is established in Islam. Allaah, after mentioning what is forbidden for us to eat, Says (what means): {…Except under compulsion of necessity.} [Quran 6: 119], meaning that it is permissible. There might be a difference of opinion regarding its permissibility at times of necessity, like the issue of intoxicants, for instance.
4. According to the most preponderant opinion, it is forbidden to eat the meat of donkeys, as the Prophet prohibited it on the day of Khaybar. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Some other animals are also forbidden to eat, like animals of the cat family which have canine teeth, as well as birds with claws. This is reported in an authentic Prophetic narration and the forbiddance in the text means that it is prohibited to eat these kind of animals and does not mean that it is only dislikeable to eat them, as there is no other text that suggests this latter meaning.
Allaah Knows best.