Eating a hedgehog

21-1-2010 | IslamWeb

Question:

I am living in China and always care to eat. I was in invitation with Chinese people and there was Hedgehog meal. I was not eating but my Muslim friend told me to eat and he has already investigated about it that Hedgehong is not Halal and not Haram, we can eat and he was confirm from a Chinese Muslim that we can eat. But I am not feeling good after found in your site that Hendgehong is Haram. Please let me know, what should I do now. I have already eaten that.

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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.

 

There is a difference of opinion in regard to the ruling of eating a hedgehog and it might be that the most correct opinion is that it is permissible to eat it after slaughtering it according to Islamic rites and this is the view of the majority of the scholars with the exception of the Hanbali School of jurisprudence.

It principle, it is permissible to eat a hedgehog unless there is evidence that it is forbidden. It is reported that Ibn ‘Umar, was asked about the eating of the hedgehog and he answered reciting the verse in which Allaah Says (what means): {Say, “I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine — for indeed, it is impure — or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allaah.}[Quran 6:145] [Abu Daawood]

Therefore, it becomes clear that you are not sinful for eating a hedgehog in the past and it is permissible for you to eat in the present and in the future but if you avoid eating it, it is better in order to avoid the difference of opinion.

Finally, we do not know where you found in our site that it is forbidden to eat a hedgehog. Please tell us the number of the Fatwa and tell us whether it is in the Arabic or English site of Islamweb [or any other language] so that we can check it.

Allaah Knows best.