Short answer
Yes. Meat from an animal that was not slaughtered the Islamic way, or over which Allah's name was not said, is haram in the Hanafi school, chicken included; it is not merely makruh. The only exception is real necessity, such as starvation with nothing else to eat. If you ate it without knowing, there is no sin.
Meat of a halal animal not slaughtered with tasmiyah by a Muslim or a genuine Kitabi is maytah (carrion) and haram, and eating it knowingly is a serious sin. In dire necessity, when you fear death or serious harm from hunger, you may eat enough to survive.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Because the tasmiyah is a sunnah, meat slaughtered properly by a Muslim, Jew or Christian is halal even without bismillah. Meat from other slaughterers is haram, as in the other schools.
Explanation
Non-halal meat covers several things, and they all lead to the same ruling:
- pork, ham and bacon, which are haram whoever slaughters them;
- a halal animal that died without a proper cut, for example one killed by stunning, shooting or a machine with no tasmiyah;
- a halal animal slaughtered by someone who is not a Muslim, Jew or Christian.
The Quran says plainly not to eat what Allah's name was not mentioned over, and calls it disobedience. That is why the Hanafi books call such meat carrion. It is not a lighter category like makruh, and the fact that the animal is chicken or beef does not change it.
Necessity is narrow. It means real danger to your life or health with no halal or vegetarian alternative, as when lost in the wild. Being on a work trip, at a school event or with friends is not necessity: fish, vegetarian dishes and eggs are almost always available.
Ignorance is forgiven. If you ate non-halal meat without knowing, there is no sin; if you used to eat it before learning the ruling, repent and stop. You are not asked to interrogate every Muslim host either. Rules for supermarket meat, kosher meat and meat from Christians and Jews are covered in meat of the People of the Book and machine slaughtered chicken. For eating with non-Muslim friends, see eating at a non-Muslim's house.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-An'aam 6:121
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَفِسْقٌۭ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ لِيُجَٰدِلُوكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٢١﴾
And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience. And indeed do the devils inspire their allies [among men] to dispute with you. And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him].
Forbids meat over which Allah's name was not said.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:173
إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍۢ وَلَا عَادٍۢ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٧٣﴾
He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Allows forbidden food only in real necessity and only as much as needed.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5503
Sahih... ما أنهر الدم وذكر اسم الله فكل ...
"Whatever makes the blood flow and has Allah's name mentioned over it, eat it."
Meat is lawful only with a proper cut and Allah's name.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Dhaba'ih. Meat without tasmiyah, or slaughtered by a non-Kitabi, is carrion.
- Bada'i al-Sana'i, Kitab al-Dhaba'ih wa al-Suyud, on who may slaughter. Conditions of the slaughterer and the tasmiyah.
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.