Is Snake Halal?

The short answer

Snake is forbidden for most Muslims. Islam Q&A, quoting Imam al-Nawawi, reports that the majority of scholars do not permit eating snakes, and that this is the view of Abu Hanifa, Ahmad and others. Imam Malik is reported to have allowed it.

Why do most scholars forbid it?

Two reasons are given:

• Fangs. Snakes catch their prey with fangs, and the Prophet forbade animals that hunt with fangs.
• The command to kill them. Snakes are among the harmful animals the Prophet ordered to be killed. Scholars hold that an animal you are told to kill is not one you may eat.

What does the Maliki school say?

Imam Malik is reported to have said snakes are halal. This is a minority view among the schools, and anyone following it would still need the snake to be safe to eat.

Where is snake eaten?

Snake soup and snake meat are eaten in parts of China and Southeast Asia, and rattlesnake is sometimes served as a novelty in the American Southwest. For most Muslims, these are not halal.

Common questions

Is snake halal as medicine?

Some ask about snake-based remedies. Islam Q&A's answer on this question follows the majority view that snake meat is not allowed. Ask a scholar about real medical necessity.

Is snake venom in medicine halal?

Venom-based medicines are a separate question of medical necessity. Ask a scholar.

The bottom line

Three of the four schools forbid snake, and the Maliki school is reported to allow it. Most Muslims treat snake as not halal.