19- The ruling on eating porcupine
Q: What is the ruling on eating porcupine? [1]
A: Scholars (may Allah be pleased with them) have disagreed about its ruling; some permitted it while others prohibited it. However, the more authentic of the two opinions is that it is Halal (lawful), because the original ruling concerning eating animals is lawfulness, and only things that are mentioned in Shari`ah (Islamic law) are prohibited. There is nothing in the Shari`ah that indicates the prohibition of this animal. In addition, it is a herbivore like rabbits and deer, not a carnivore, so there is no reason for prohibiting it. The mentioned animal is a kind of hedgehog with a coat of sharp spines. Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about eating hedgehogs, so he recited Allah's saying (Exalted be He), Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maitah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork) [Surah Al An`am 6:145]
(Part No. 23; Page No. 36)
An old man said, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, It is one of the noxious animals. Ibn `Umar said, "If the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had said this, it is true, then."[Related by Ahmad]
This indicates that he (may Allah be pleased with him) had no idea whether the Messenger of Allah had said anything about a hedgehog. It is also clear that he did not believe the mentioned old man. This Hadith was ranked as Da`if (weak) by Al-Bayhaqy and other scholars due to anonymity of this man. Thus, it is concluded that its lawfulness is true and its prohibition is a weak opinion. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) knows best.
Footnotes:
[1] This was published in the book entitled, "Fatawa Islamiyyah", compiled by Shaykh Muhammad Al-Musnad, vol. 3, p. 389; and the magazine of the Islamic University in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah.