Are insects (e.g. locusts) halal to eat according to the Qur'an and Sunnah?
The permissibility of eating insects, particularly locusts, is addressed in both the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
In the Qur'an, there is no specific mention of locusts; however, there are verses that discuss permissible foods. For example, it is stated: Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed on you as food lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah in Whom ye are believers.
5:88. This verse emphasizes consuming what is lawful and good.
Regarding locusts, several hadith narrations address their permissibility. Sunan al-Tirmidhi narrates an incident where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions encountered a swarm of locusts during Hajj or Umrah, stating: We set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) on Hajj or Umrah when a swarm of locusts approached us. We began striking them with our whips and sticks. The Prophet said: ‘Eat them, for they are among the sea’s game.’
Sunan al-Tirmidhi 9:43. This indicates that locusts are considered permissible to eat.
Additionally, Al-Kafi, a Shia source, also discusses locusts. It narrates that Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) was asked about eating locusts and replied: There is no harm in eating them. Then he said: It is a sort of fish in the sea.
Al-Kafi 4:102. This further supports the view that locusts are permissible for consumption.
In conclusion, both Sunni and Shia sources provide evidence that locusts are halal to eat, with the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ explicitly allowing their consumption. For a ruling that applies to your specific situation, consult a qualified local scholar.
Sources
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5:88 · Al-Maaida
5:88 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
وَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ حَلَٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ
Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed on you as food lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah in Whom ye are believers.
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Sunan al-Tirmidhi 9:43
Sunan al-Tirmidhi · Book 9, Hadith 43 · Narrated by Abu Huraira
We set out with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) on Hajj or Umrah when a swarm of locusts approached us. We began striking them with our whips and sticks. The Prophet said: ‘Eat them, for they are among the sea’s game.’
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Al-Kafi 4:102
Al-Kafi · Book 4, Hadith 102
Regarding the verse, 'We gave the family of Abraham the Book and wisdom and gave them a great kingdom.' He said, 'He made among them messengers, prophets, and Imams; so how do they acknowledge it among the family of Abraham (peace be upon him) and reject it among the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)?' I said concerning 'We gave them a great kingdom,' he said: 'The great kingdom is that among them are Imams; whoever obeys them obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys them disobeys Allah. That is the great kingdom.' — OR — I asked Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) about the verse of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: 'Indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the braying of donkeys.' He said: It refers to the ugly sneeze. — OR — I said to Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him): When the time of the obligatory prayer begins, should I perform voluntary prayers or start with the obligatory? He said: The merit is to begin with the obligatory prayer. The delay of Zuhr by one forearm-length after the zenith is for the prayer of the penitents. — OR — Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) was asked about eating locusts. He said: There is no harm in eating them. Then he said: It is a sort of fish in the sea. He added that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: Fish and locusts, when they come out of water, are fresh. The land is the locust’s hunting ground, and the sea may likewise be for fish. — OR — The parent is not killed for the child, and the child is killed for the parent. A man does not inherit from another whom he killed, even if it was by mistake.
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