Short answer
In the Hanafi school: the pig; predators that hunt with fangs, like dogs, cats, lions and wolves; birds of prey with talons; domestic donkeys and mules; vermin, reptiles and insects other than locusts; and every water animal except fish. A halal animal that died without slaughter is haram too. The other schools allow some of these, especially seafood.
Haram: the pig, fanged predators, taloned birds of prey, domestic donkeys and mules, creeping things (rodents, reptiles, insects other than locusts), amphibians, and all water animals other than fish. Horse is halal but makruh tanzihi, and an animal that feeds mainly on filth (jallala) is makruh until kept on clean feed.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Allows all animals that live only in the sea, and also the hyena and the fox.
- Maliki
- The best-known position treats most land predators as makruh rather than haram, allows all sea animals, and forbids horse.
- Hanbali
- Allows sea animals except the frog, the crocodile and the snake, and allows the hyena and the horse.
Explanation
The starting point is that good, wholesome animals are lawful. The Quran names a few that are forbidden, and the Sunnah adds whole categories. The Hanafi list is:
- The pig, in every form: pork, ham, bacon, lard and pig gelatin.
- Fanged predators: dogs, cats, lions, tigers, wolves, bears, foxes and hyenas.
- Birds with talons that hunt: eagles, hawks, falcons, owls and vultures.
- Domestic donkeys and mules. Wild donkeys and zebras are different.
- Creeping things: rats, mice, snakes, lizards, frogs, snails and insects, except the locust.
- Water animals other than fish: crab, lobster, squid, octopus, mussels and the like.
Plenty remains: cattle, sheep, goats, camels, deer, rabbits, chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeons, ostriches, all fish, and locusts.
Two more rules apply to lawful animals. The animal must be slaughtered with Allah's name, or the meat is carrion. And an animal that eats mainly filth is disliked until it has been kept on clean feed for a while, after which it is fine.
The schools differ most on sea animals and on some predators, so a Muslim of another school may eat things a Hanafi does not. Individual animals are covered in separate answers, such as horse, rabbit, dog and cat and seafood.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-An'aam 6:145
قُل لَّآ أَجِدُ فِى مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلَىٰ طَاعِمٍۢ يَطْعَمُهُۥٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَكُونَ مَيْتَةً أَوْ دَمًۭا مَّسْفُوحًا أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنزِيرٍۢ فَإِنَّهُۥ رِجْسٌ أَوْ فِسْقًا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍۢ وَلَا عَادٍۢ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ﴿١٤٥﴾
Say, "I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
Names carrion, flowing blood and pork as forbidden.
Quran, Surah Al-A'raaf 7:157
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْخَبَٰٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَٱلْأَغْلَٰلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٥٧﴾
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful.
The general rule behind the Sunnah's further categories.
Sahih Muslim 1934
Sahih... نهى عن كل ذي ناب من السباع وعن كل ذي مخلب من الطير ...
"He forbade every predator with fangs and every bird with talons."
The basis for forbidding predators and birds of prey.
Sahih Muslim 1941
Sahih... نهى يوم خيبر عن لحوم الحمر الأهلية وأذن في لحوم الخيل ...
"On the day of Khaybar he forbade the meat of domestic donkeys and allowed horse meat."
Forbids domestic donkeys.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Dhaba'ih, on what may and may not be eaten. The Hanafi categories of forbidden animals.
- Mukhtasar Khalil with al-Sharh al-Kabir, Bab al-Mubah, on permitted foods. The Maliki view that predators are disliked and sea animals lawful.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-At'ima. The Hanbali list, including the hyena as lawful.
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.