Short answer
Yes. Rabbit and hare are halal in all four schools when slaughtered by zabiha or lawfully hunted. Companions caught a rabbit, slaughtered it and sent part of it to the Prophet ﷺ, who accepted it.
Rabbit is halal to eat (mubah), with the same conditions as any other meat: a halal slaughter with Allah's name, or a lawful hunt.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
The four schools agree that rabbit is halal. Anas ibn Malik reported that he caught a rabbit, Abu Talhah slaughtered it, and its leg was sent to the Prophet ﷺ, who accepted it. Rabbit is not a predator, does not eat filth by nature, and is counted among the good and wholesome animals.
The usual meat conditions apply:
- Farmed rabbit must be slaughtered by a Muslim (or a Kitabi under the conditions in meat of Christians and Jews) with bismillah. Rabbit sold in Western supermarkets is usually not zabiha.
- Hunted rabbit is halal if the hunter is a Muslim who says bismillah when releasing the arrow, firing or sending a trained dog, and the animal dies from the wound. If he reaches it alive, he must slaughter it.
- Rabbit found dead, or killed in a trap without slaughter, is carrion and haram.
Hare, which is the wild relative, takes the same ruling. Guinea pigs and other rodents are a different question, and are not eaten in the Hanafi school.
For the general conditions, see what makes meat halal.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Maaida 5:4
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَآ أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ ۖ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُ ۙ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّآ أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ ﴿٤﴾
They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah." Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
Wholesome animals like rabbit are lawful.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2572
Sahih... فأتيت بها أبا طلحة فذبحها وبعث بها إلى رسول الله ...
"We startled a rabbit at Marr al-Zahran; I caught it, Abu Talhah slaughtered it and sent its thigh to the Prophet, who accepted it."
The Prophet ﷺ accepted rabbit meat, showing it is lawful.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Dhaba'ih, on what may be eaten. Rabbit is permitted to eat.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. 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.