HUNTING. Arabic said صيد
There are special rules laid down in Muslim law with regard to hunting. (See Hamilton’s Hiddayah, vol. iv. p. 170.)
It is lawful to hunt with a trained dog, or a panther (Arabic fahd, Persian yuz, which is an animal of the lynx species, hooded and trained like a hawk), or a hawk, or a falcon.
The sign of a dog being trained is his catching game three times without eating it. A hawk is trained when she attends to the call of her master. If the dog or panther eat any part of the game it is unlawful, but if the dog merely eat the blood and not the flesh, it is lawful. If a hunter take game alive which his dog has wounded, he must slay it according to the law of Zabh, namely, bu cutting its throat, with the head turned Makkah-wards, and reciting, “In the name of the Great God!” The law is the same with respect to game shot by an arrow.
If a sportsman let fly an arrow (or fire a gun) at game, he must repeat the invocation, “In the name of the Great God!”
And then the flesh becomes lawful if the game is killed by the shot. But if only wounded, the animal must be slain with the invocation. Game hit by an arrow which has not a sharp point is unlawful, and so is that killed by throwing pebbles.
Game killed by a Magian, or an apostate, or a worshipper of images is not lawful because they are not allowed to perform zabh. But that slain by a Christian or a Jew is lawful.
Hunting is not allowed on the pilgrimage nor within the limits of the sacred cities of Makkah and al-Madinah.
‘Adi ibn Ahtim (Mishkat, book xviii. Ch 1.) Gives the following tradition on the subject of hunting: –
“The Prophet said to me, ‘ When you send your dog in pursuit of game, repeat the name of god, as at slaying an animal; then if your digs holds the game for you, and you find it alive, then slay it; but if you find your dog has killed it, and not eaten any of it, then eat it; but if the dog has eaten any of it, do not you eat it, for then the dog has kept it for himself. Then if you find another dog along with yours, and the game is killed, do not eat of it; for verily you cannot know which of the dogs killed it, it might so be that when he was let loose after the game, the name of God might not have been repeated. And when you shoot an arrow at game, repeat the name of God, the same as slaying and animal; then if you lose sight of the game, and on finding it perceive nothing but the impression of your own arrow, then eat it if you wish; but if you find the game drowned, do not eat of it, although the mark of your arrow should be in it.'”
There are special rules laid down in Muslim law with regard to hunting. (See Hamilton’s Hiddayah, vol. iv. p. 170.)
It is lawful to hunt with a trained dog, or a panther (Arabic fahd, Persian yuz, which is an animal of the lynx species, hooded and trained like a hawk), or a hawk, or a falcon.
The sign of a dog being trained is his catching game three times without eating it. A hawk is trained when she attends to the call of her master. If the dog or panther eat any part of the game it is unlawful, but if the dog merely eat the blood and not the flesh, it is lawful. If a hunter take game alive which his dog has wounded, he must slay it according to the law of Zabh, namely, bu cutting its throat, with the head turned Makkah-wards, and reciting, “In the name of the Great God!” The law is the same with respect to game shot by an arrow.
If a sportsman let fly an arrow (or fire a gun) at game, he must repeat the invocation, “In the name of the Great God!”
And then the flesh becomes lawful if the game is killed by the shot. But if only wounded, the animal must be slain with the invocation. Game hit by an arrow which has not a sharp point is unlawful, and so is that killed by throwing pebbles.
Game killed by a Magian, or an apostate, or a worshipper of images is not lawful because they are not allowed to perform zabh. But that slain by a Christian or a Jew is lawful.
Hunting is not allowed on the pilgrimage nor within the limits of the sacred cities of Makkah and al-Madinah.
‘Adi ibn Ahtim (Mishkat, book xviii. Ch 1.) Gives the following tradition on the subject of hunting: –
“The Prophet said to me, ‘ When you send your dog in pursuit of game, repeat the name of god, as at slaying an animal; then if your digs holds the game for you, and you find it alive, then slay it; but if you find your dog has killed it, and not eaten any of it, then eat it; but if the dog has eaten any of it, do not you eat it, for then the dog has kept it for himself. Then if you find another dog along with yours, and the game is killed, do not eat of it; for verily you cannot know which of the dogs killed it, it might so be that when he was let loose after the game, the name of God might not have been repeated. And when you shoot an arrow at game, repeat the name of God, the same as slaying and animal; then if you lose sight of the game, and on finding it perceive nothing but the impression of your own arrow, then eat it if you wish; but if you find the game drowned, do not eat of it, although the mark of your arrow should be in it.'”
Based on Hughes, Dictionary of Islam
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