Short answer
Yes. Beef is halal, and cattle are among the animals the Quran names as lawful food and as sacrificial animals. The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed cows on behalf of his wives. Like any meat, beef must come from an animal slaughtered the Islamic way.
Beef, veal and buffalo are halal (mubah) when slaughtered by zabiha. A cow or buffalo can be shared by up to seven people for qurbani.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
The question usually comes from people who know that Hindus do not eat beef and assume the same of Muslims. In fact cattle are one of the main halal animals in Islam. The Quran lists cattle among the eight kinds of livestock Allah gave people, and the longest surah of the Quran, al-Baqarah (the Cow), is named after a cow that Allah commanded the Israelites to slaughter.
In the Sunnah, the Prophet ﷺ sacrificed cows for his wives during Hajj, and cattle are one of the animals used for qurbani each Eid al-Adha, where one cow covers seven shares (see the qurbani guide). Muslims across the world eat beef as everyday food.
What makes beef halal or not is the slaughter, not the species:
- Zabiha beef, slaughtered by a Muslim with Allah's name: halal.
- Ordinary supermarket beef in the US or UK: see meat of Christians and Jews and stunned meat.
- Processed beef products: check for pork casings, pork fat or wine.
Some Muslims in India avoid beef because of local laws or to keep the peace with neighbours. That is a social choice, not a religious ruling. See also what makes meat halal.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-An'aam 6:144
وَمِنَ ٱلْإِبِلِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ ٱلْبَقَرِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا ٱشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ وَصَّىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا ۚ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًۭا لِّيُضِلَّ ٱلنَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ﴿١٤٤﴾
And of the camels, two and of the cattle, two. Say, "Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah charged you with this? Then who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah to mislead the people by [something] other than knowledge? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people."
Names cattle among the lawful livestock.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:67
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا۟ بَقَرَةًۭ ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًۭا ۖ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِينَ ﴿٦٧﴾
And [recall] when Moses said to his people, "Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you take us in ridicule?" He said, "I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant."
A cow was slaughtered at Allah's command.
Sahih al-Bukhari 294
Sahih... ضحى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن نسائه بالبقر ...
"The Messenger of Allah sacrificed cows on behalf of his wives."
Shows cattle as lawful sacrificial meat.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Dhaba'ih, on what may be eaten. Grazing livestock are lawful.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Udhiyya. A cow or camel is shared by up to seven people.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.