Scholarly differences
The rule for land animals is that they are lawful unless a text forbids them; the texts forbid pork, donkeys, fanged predators and taloned birds. Kangaroo is not named, and it grazes, which is why Mufti Taqi Usmani and Darul Ifta Birmingham permit it.
Darul Uloom Deoband's fatwa forbids it without giving reasons in its published answer. Both permitting answers make Islamic slaughter a condition, so even on their view the method of killing decides a given piece of meat.
What decides the answer
-
Kangaroo, Islamically slaughtered, on the view of Taqi Usmani or Darul Ifta Birmingham
Halal -
Commercial kangaroo meat (shot in the wild)
does not meet the slaughter condition -
Kangaroo on the view of Darul Uloom Deoband
Haram
How to verify
- Decide which view you follow: Usmani and Darul Ifta Birmingham permit kangaroo as a grazing animal; Darul Uloom Deoband forbids it.
- If you follow the permitting view, the meat still needs Islamic slaughter.
- Supermarket kangaroo in Australia is shot in the wild under the national humane-shooting code, so it does not meet that condition unless a supplier documents Halal slaughter.
- Kangaroo sausages and mince may contain other meats or casings; read the label.
Quick checks
- Usmani and Darul Ifta Birmingham: Halal if slaughtered.
- Darul Uloom Deoband: Haram.
- Commercial kangaroo is shot, not slaughtered.
Why this ruling
Kangaroo is sold in Australian supermarkets as steaks, mince and sausages. For Muslims it raises two separate questions: is the animal lawful, and was this meat slaughtered properly?
Is the animal Halal?
Scholars differ, and the difference runs within the Hanafi school.
| Authority | View | Reason given |
|---|---|---|
| Mufti Taqi Usmani (Albalagh) | Halal if Islamically slaughtered | No basis for prohibiting it[1] |
| Darul Ifta Birmingham | Halal | Grazing land animals are lawful unless a text forbids them[2] |
| Darul Uloom Deoband | Haram | Ruling stated without reasons[3] |
The permitting answers apply the general rule for land animals: the texts forbid pork, donkeys, fanged predators and taloned birds, and kangaroo, a grazing animal, is not among them.
Is the meat slaughtered?
Both permitting scholars make Islamic slaughter a condition. Commercial kangaroo meat in Australia comes from wild kangaroos harvested by licensed shooters under the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies.[4] Shot meat does not meet the slaughter condition, so even on the permitting view, ordinary supermarket kangaroo is not Halal unless a supplier documents Halal slaughter.
For other unusual meats, see horse meat and crocodile. For Australia's best-known Halal dish, see the Halal snack pack.
Where you'll find it
- Kangaroo steaks and fillets
- Kangaroo mince, burgers and sausages
- Restaurant game dishes
Frequently asked questions
Is kangaroo Halal?
Is supermarket kangaroo meat Halal?
Why do some scholars say kangaroo is Haram?
Is kangaroo Halal in the Hanafi school?
Sources
Named Islamic, certifier, manufacturer, and regulatory sources used on this page. Inline markers like [1] jump here. Retrieval dates show when we last checked the live URL. Editorial methodology.
Islamic / scriptural
-
Albalagh.net (Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani), via IslamQA.org Retrieved
22 November 2007. 'Kangaroo is a halal animal because there is no basis for its prohibition. The only condition is that it should be slaughtered with all necessary conditions of Islamic slaughtering.'
-
Can Muslims Eat Kangaroo Meat?
Darul Ifta Birmingham, via IslamQA.org Retrieved
Written by Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh, approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah. 'Unless there is a text to prohibit a certain land animal, the general rule is that land animals that have flowing blood in them and they survive on grass and leaves, and do not prey on other animals, are Halal to consume. Based on this it can be said that it is permissible to consume Kangaroo meat.' Cites al-Ikhtiyar li Ta'lil al-Mukhtar.
-
Is kangaroo meat permissible under Islamic law?
Darul Uloom Deoband (Darul Ifta), via IslamQA.org Retrieved
Fatwa 355/385/SD=6/1438: 'No. It is haram to eat kangaroo meat.'
Regulatory / labelling
-
How commercial harvesting is regulated
NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Retrieved
Commercial harvesters must be licensed, and 'Kangaroos must be harvested in compliance with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes and kangaroo processing facilities must be registered.'
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