The Book of Hunting, Slaughter, and what may be Eaten

I said: Messenger of Allah, I set off trained dogs and they catch for me (the game) and I recite the came of Allah over it (I slaughter the game by reciting Bismillah-i-Allah-o-Akbar), whereupon he said: When you set off your trained dogs and you recited the name of Allah (while setting them off), then eat (the game). I said: Even if them (the trained dogs) kill that (the game)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Even if these kill, but (on the condition) that no other dog, which you did not set off (along with your dogs), participates (in catching the game). I said to him: I throw Mi’rad, a heavy featherless blunt arrow, for hunting and killing (the game). Thereupon he said: When you throw Mi’rad, and it pierces, then eat, but if it falls flatly (and beats the game to death), then do not eat that.

I asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying: We are a people who hunt with these (trained) dogs, then (what should we do)? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: When you set of your trained dogs having recited the name of Allah, then eat what these (hounds) have caught for you, oven if it (the game) is killed, provided (the hunting dog) has not eaten (any part of the game). If it has eaten (the game), then you don’t eat it as I fear that it might have caught for its own self. And do not eat in case other dogs have joined your trained dogs.

If it strikes (the game) with its point, then eat, but if it strikes flatly and it dies, that is Waqidh (beaten into death), do not eat that. I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about (hunting with the help of) dogs, whereupon he said. When you send your dog (for hunting) reciting the name of Allah, then eat (the game), but if some part of it is eaten (by the dogs, then do not eat that, for it (your dog) has caught that (the-game) for itself. I (again) said: If I find along with my dog another dog, and do not know which of (the dogs) has caught (the game). then (what should I do)? Thereupon he (‘Allah’s Messenger) said: Then don’t eat that, for you recited the name of Allah on your dog and not on the other one.

I asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) about Mi’rad (i. e. hunting with the help of arrow having a stub end, and he stated the same (as we find in the previous hadith).

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of ‘Adi b. Hatim with a slight variation of words.

I asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) about hunting the game with the help of Mi’rad, whereupon he said: If it strikes (the game) with its point, then eat it, but if it strikes flat, that is (the game is) beaten (into death), (then do not eat that) ‘Adi further said: I asked him about hunting with the help of a dog, whereupon he said: If that (the dog) catches it (the game) for you and does not eat out of that, then you eat (the game) for Dhakat (slaughtering) of that is its being caught by it (by the dog). But if you find another dog besides it, and you fear that that dog (the second one) had caught it (the game) along with that (your dog) and killed it. then don’t eat; for you recited the name of Allah on your dog and did not recite that on the other one (which joined your dog incidentally).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zakariya b. Abu Za’ida with the same chain of transmitters.

I heard Adi b. Hatim say-and he was our neighbour, and our partner and co worker at Nahrain-that he asked Allah’s Apostle (may peace he upon him) saying: I let off my dog and find another dog along with my dog and that (any one of them) catches the (game), but I do not know which one had caught it, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Then don’t eat that, for you recited the name of Allah while letting off your dog and did not recite on the other.

This hadith has been narrated oif the authority of ‘Adi b. Hatim through another chain of transmitters.

Allah’s Messenger (way peace be upon him) said to me: When you let off your dog, recite the name of Allah, and if it catches (game for you) and you find it alive, then slaughter it; if you find it killed and that (your dog) has eaten nothing out of that, (even then) you may eat it; but if you find along with your dog another dog, and (the game an) dead, then don’t eat, for you do not know which of the two has killed it. And if you shoot your arrow, recite the name of Allah, but if it (game) goes out of your sight for a day and you do not find on that but the mark of your arrow, then eat that it you so like, but if you find it drowned in water, then don’t eat that.

I asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) about hunting. He said: When you shoot your arrow, recite the name of Allah, and if you find it (the arrow) killed (that). then eat, except when you find it fallen into water, for in that case you do not know whether it is water that caused its death or your arrow.

I came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and said: Allah’s Messenger, we are in the land of the People of the Book, (so) we eat in their utensils, and (live) in a hunting region. where I hunt with, the help of my bow, and hunt with my trained dog, or with my dog which is not trained. So inform me what is lawful (Halal) for us out of that. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Regarding what you have mentioned of the fact that you live in the land belonging to the People of the Book and so you eat in their utensils, but if you can get utensils other than theirs, then don’t eat in them; but if you do not find any, then wash them and eat in them. And regarding what you have mentioned about (your living) in a hunting region, what you hunt, (strike) with the help of your bow, recite the name of Allah (while shooting an arrow) and then eat; and what you catch with the help of your trained dog, recite the name of Allah (while letting oil) the dog and then eat it, and what you get with the help of your untrained dog, (if you find it alive) and slaughter it (according to the law of the Shari’ah), eat it.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Haiwa with the same chain of transmitters, but with a slight variation of words.

If you shoot with your arrow and (the game) goes out of your sight and you find it (later on), then eat that if it has not gone rotten.

Eat it, provided it has not gone rotten.

He (the Holy Prophet) said in regard to the game killed by (a trained) dog: Eat after three days provided it has not gone rotten.

We did not bear of it until we came to Syria.

I did not bear of this from our ‘Ulama’ in the Hijaz, until Abu Idris narrated that to me and he was one of the jurists of Syria.

Abu Tha’laba al-Khushani reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) having prohibited the eating of all fanged beasts of prey.

This hadith has been narrated through several other chains of transmitters, but some of the chains have a slight variation of words.

The eating of all fanged beasts of prey is unlawful.

This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) prohibited the eating of all fanged beasts of prey, and all the birds having talons.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Shu’ba.

Ibn Abbas reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade (the eating) of all the fanged beasts of prey, and of all the birds having talons.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas through a different chain of transmitters.

Allah’s Messenger (may peace he upon him) sent us (on an expedition) and appointed Abu ‘Ubaida our chief that we might intercept a caravan of the Quraish and provided us with a bag of dates. And he found for us nothing besides it. Abu Ubaida gave each of us one date (everyday). I (Abu Zubair, one of the narrators) said: What did you do with that? He said: We sucked that just as a baby sucks and then drank water over that, and it sufficed us for the day until night. We beat off leaves with the help of our staffs, then drenched them with water and ate them. We then went to the coast of the sea, and there rose before us on the coast of the sea something like a big mound. We came near that and we found that it was a beast, called al-‘Anbar (spermaceti whale). Abu ‘Ubaida said. It is dead. He then said: No (but it does not matter), we have been sent by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the path of Allah and you are hard pressed (on account of the scarcity of food), so you eat that. We three hundred in number stayed there for a month, until we grew bulky. He (Jabir) said: I saw how we extracted pitcher after pitcher full of fat from the cavity of its eye, and sliced from it compact piece of meat equal to a bull or like a bull. Abu ‘Ubaida called forth thirteen men from us and he made them sit in the cavity of its eye, and he took hold of one of the ribs of its chest and made it stand and then saddled the biggest of the camels we had with us and it passed under it (the arched rib), and we provided ourselves with pieces of boiled meat (especially for use in our journey). When we came back to Medina, we went to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and made a mention of that to him, whereupon he said: That was a provision which Allah had brought forth for you. Is there any piece of meat (left) with you, so tnat you give to us that? He (Jabir) said: We sent to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) tome of that (a piece of meat) and he ate it.

Allah’s Messenger (may peace he upon him) sent us (on an expedition). We were three hundred riders and our chief (leader) was ‘Ubaida b. al-Jarrah. We were on the look out for a caravan of the Quraish. So we stayed on the coast for half a month, and were so much afflicted by extreme hunger that we (were obliged) to eat leaves. That is why it was called the Detachment of the Leaves. The ocean cast out for us an animal which was called al-‘Anbar (whale). We ate of that for half of the month and rubbed its fat on our (bodies) until our bodies became stout. Abu ‘Ubaida caught hold of one of its ribs and fixed that up. He then cast a glance at the tallest man of the army and the highest of the camels. and then made him ride over that, and that-tnan passed beneath it (the rib), and many a man could sit in its eye-socket, and we extracted many pitchers of fat from the cavity of its eye. We had small bags containing dates with us (before finding the whale). ‘Ubaida gave every person amongst us a handful of dates (and when the provision ran short), he then gave each one of us one date. And when that (stock) was exhausted, we felt its loss.

‘Amr reported on the authority of Jabir that in the expedition of Khabat (leaves) a person slaughtered three camels, then three, then three, then Abu ‘Ubaida forbade him (to do so fearing that the rides may become short).

Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) sent us (on an expedition), and we were three hundred in number, and we were carrying our bags of provisions around our necks.

‘Abu ‘Ubaida collected their provisions in the provision bag. and he fed us (for some time). Later on when the provisions ran short he gave us one date every day.

” The army ate out of that (the whale) for eighteen days.”

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) sent an expedition to the land of the tribe of Juhaina, and appointed a person as a chief over them.

‘Ali b. Abi Talib reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade on the Day of Khaibar temporary marriage (Muta’) with women and the eating of the flesh of domestic asses.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri through a different chain of transmitters with a slight variation of wording.

Abu Tha’laba reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) prohibited (the eating) of the flesh of domestic asses.

Ibn Umar reported that Allah’s Messenger (way peace be upon him) forbade the eating of the flesh of domestic asses.

Ibn ‘Umar reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the eating of the (flesh) of domestic asses on the Day of Khaibar in spite of the fact that people needed that.

I asked ‘Abdullah b. Abu Aufa about (the lawfulness or unlawfulness of) the flesh of the domestic asses. He said: We experienced hunger on the Day of Khaibar as we were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). We found domestic asses in the exterior of Medina. We slaughtered them and our earthen pots were boiling when the announcer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made an announcement that the earthen pots should be turned upside down and nothing of the flesh of the domestic asses should be eaten. I said: What kind of prohibition is it that he (the Holy Prophet) has made? He said: We discussed it amongst -ourselves. Some of us aaid that it has been declared unlawful for ever, (whereas others said) it has been declared unlawful since one-fifth (of the booty) has not been given (to the treasury, as is legally required).

I heard Abdullah b. Abu Aufa say: We were smitten with hunger during the nights of Khaibar. On the Day of Khaibar, we fell upon domestic asses and we slaughtered them, and when our earthen pots boiled with them, the announcer of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) made an annoancement that the earthen pots should be turned over, and nothing should be eaten of the flesh of the domestic asses. Some of the people said that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) had forbidden (the use of this flesh) for one-fifth (due to the State) has not been paid, while others said: He prohibited it for ever.

I heard al-Bara’ and ‘Abdullah b. Abu Aufa say: We found domestic asses and we cooked them. Then the announcer of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) made an announcement that the earthen pots should be turned over.

We found on the Day of Khaibar domestic asses, and the announcer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made an announcement that the earthen pots should be turned over.

We were forbidden (to eat) the flesh of the domestic asses.

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) commanded us to throw away the flesh of domestic asses whether uncooked or cooked; he then never commanded us to eat that.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of ‘Asim with the same chain of transmitters.

I do not know whether Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) prohibited (the eating of the domestic ass) due to the fact that they were the beasts of burden for the people, so he (the Holy Prophet) did not like their beasts of burden to be destroyed (as a matter of expediency), or he prohibited the use of the flesh of domestic asses (not as an expediency but as a law of the Shari’ah) on the Day of Khaibar.

We went to Khaibar with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). Then Allah granted (us) victory over them. On that very evening of the day when they had been granted victory, they lit many fires. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: What are those fires and what for those have been lit? They said: (These have been lit) for (cooking) the flesh. Thereupon he said: Of what flesh? They said: For the flesh of the domestic asses. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace bo upon him) said: Throw that away and break them (the earthen pots in which the fiesa was being cooked). A person said: Messenger of Allah, should we throw it away and wash them (the cooking pots)? He said: You may do so.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Yazid b. Abu Ubaid.

When Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) conquered Khaibar, we caught hold of the asses outside the village. We cooked them (their flesh). Then the announcer of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) made the announcement: Listen, verily Allah and His Messenger have prohibited you (the eating of) their (flesh), for it is a loathsome evil of Satan’s doing. Then the earthen pots were turned over along with what was in them, and these were brimming (with flesh) at that time.

When it was the Day of Khaibar a visitor came and said: Messenger of Allah, the asses have been eaten. Then another came and said: Messenger of Allah, the asses are being destroyed. Then Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) commanded Abu Talha to make an announcement that Allah and His Messenger have prohibited you (from eating) of the flesh of (domestic) asses, for these are loathsome or impure. He (the narrator) said: The earthein pots were turned over along with what was in them.