Is rabbit meat halal?
Yes, rabbit meat is halal. All four Sunni schools agree that rabbit and hare are permissible, and the Prophet ﷺ accepted a gift of rabbit meat. Like other land animals, a farmed rabbit must be slaughtered the halal way, and a wild one must be hunted according to Islamic rules.
The evidence
Anas ibn Malik said that he and others chased a rabbit at Marr az-Zahran and caught it. Abu Talha slaughtered it and sent its leg to the Prophet ﷺ, who accepted it (Sahih al-Bukhari 2572). Accepting a gift of food shows it was lawful. Because of this, the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools all permit rabbit and hare.
Why rabbit isn't in the forbidden group
The Quran lists what is forbidden, and the default for other good food is permission:
The Sunnah adds some categories, such as predators with fangs (Sahih al-Bukhari 5530) and birds with talons (Sahih Muslim 1934). Rabbits are plant-eaters with no fangs for hunting, so they don't fall into any of these groups.
Slaughter and hunting
- Farmed rabbit: needs to be slaughtered by a Muslim (or by People of the Book, in the view of many scholars) with the name of Allah. Supermarket rabbit in Europe usually isn't, so buy from a halal butcher. See How is halal meat slaughtered?
- Wild rabbit: can be hunted with a gun, bow or trained dog, saying "Bismillah" when you shoot or release. If you reach it still alive, slaughter it. See Can Muslims go hunting and fishing?
- Pet rabbits: keeping a rabbit as a pet is allowed, and you must feed and care for it well. Nobody expects you to eat your pet.
Where to find halal rabbit
Rabbit is common in France, Spain, Italy and Malta, and less so in the UK and USA. Some halal butchers stock it, especially in autumn, or can order it in. Rabbit is lean and high in protein; it is cooked slowly in stews, much like chicken. If you usually buy chicken, the same questions about slaughter apply. See Is all chicken halal?
- Rabbit and hare are halal by agreement of the four schools.
- The Prophet ﷺ accepted rabbit meat as a gift (Sahih al-Bukhari 2572).
- Farmed rabbit needs halal slaughter; wild rabbit can be hunted.
- Ordinary supermarket rabbit is usually not halal-slaughtered.
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