The Ruling on Eating the Hyena

Question :

What is the ruling on smoking and on eating the hyena?

Answer:

Smoking is forbidden, because it is obnoxious and those who possess a good and unimpaired intellect instinctively hate it. Allah, Most Glorified, Most High says:
"Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e., Muhammad) whom they find written about in the Taurat (Torah) (Deut, xviii 15) and the Injil (Gospel) (John, xiv 16) with them, he commands them for Al- Ma'rüf (i.e., Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e., disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibat (i.e., all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khaba'ith (i.e., all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allah's Covenant with the Children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad ), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur'an) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful.

And He, Most Glorified, Most High says:
"They ask you (O Muhammad) what is lawful for them (as food). Say: "Lawful unto you are At-Tayyibat (all kinds of Halal (lawful-good) foods which Allah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits)].

And (it is forbidden) because it causes weakness.

In a Hadith narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud on the authority of Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, the Messenger of Allah forbade all intoxicants and all those things which cause weakness. And (it is also forbidden) due to the medical confirmation of its harm to one's health. It is well known that when it is confirmed that something is harmful, then it is forbidden to use it.

The Messenger of Allah forbade wasting money, and spending on such things is considered to be a waste of money. It has been narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim may Allah be pleased with them both that the Messenger of Allah said:

"Verily, Allah has forbidden you from being disobedient to mothers, burying daughters alive, withholding the right of others and demanding that (which is not one's legitimate right). And He disapproved of three things for you: gossip, persistent questioning and wasting of wealth."

And disapproval here means prohibition.

As for eating the hyena, it is permissible, according to the narration of Imam Ahmad and the compilers of the Sunan, on the authority of 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Abdullah bin 'Umarah; he said: "I said to Jabir, 'Is the hyena game?" He said: 'Yes.' I said, 'May it be eaten?" He said, 'Yes.' 'Did the Messenger of Allah said it?' He said 'Yes."

Allah is the Granter of success. And may peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and upon his family and Companions.