20. Game and Animals Which May Be Slaughtered

عَن عدِيِّ بنِ حاتِمٍ قَالَ: قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَرْسَلْتَ كَلْبَكَ فَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ أَمْسَكَ عَلَيْكَ فَأَدْرَكْتَهُ حَيًّا فَاذْبَحْهُ وَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتَهُ قَدْ قَتَلَ وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ مِنْهُ فَكُلْهُ وَإِنْ أَكَلَ فَلَا تَأْكُلْ فَإِنَّمَا أَمْسَكَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتَ مَعَ كَلْبِكَ كَلْبًا غَيْرَهُ وَقَدْ قَتَلَ فَلَا تَأْكُلْ فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي أَيُّهُمَا قَتَلَ. وَإِذَا رَمَيْتَ بِسَهْمِكَ فَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ غَابَ عَنْكَ يَوْمًا فَلَمْ تَجِدْ فِيهِ إِلَّا أَثَرَ سَهْمِكَ فَكُلْ إِنْ شِئْتَ وَإِنْ وَجَدْتَهُ غَرِيقًا فِي الْمَاءِ فَلَا تأكُلْ»

‘Adi b. Hatim told that God’s messenger said to him, “When you set off your dog mention God's name, and if it catches anything for you and you come up to it while it is still alive cut its throat; if you come up to it when the dog has killed it but not eaten any of it eat it; but if it has eaten any of it do not eat, for it has caught it only for itself. If you find another dog with yours and a kill has been made, do not eat, for you do not know which of them killed the animal. When you shoot your arrow mention God’s name and if the game goes out of your sight for a day and you find in it only the mark of your arrow eat if you wish, but if you find it drowned in water do not eat.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نُرْسِلُ الْكِلَابَ الْمُعَلَّمَةَ قَالَ: «كُلْ مَا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكَ» قُلْتُ: وَإِنْ قَتَلْنَ؟ قَالَ: «وَإِنْ قَتَلْنَ» قُلْتُ: إِنَّا نَرْمِي بِالْمِعْرَاضِ. قَالَ: «كُلُّ مَا خزق وَمَا أصَاب بعرضه فَقتله فَإِنَّهُ وقيذ فَلَا تَأْكُل»

He said he told God’s messenger that he set off trained dogs, and he replied, “Eat what they catch for you.” He asked if that applied even if they killed the game, and he replied that it did. He told him that he shot featherless arrows (mi'rad)* and he replied, “Eat what they pierce, but what they strike with the middle part and kill is beaten to death, so do not eat it.” *The mi'rad was thick in the middle and slender at the ends. It was liable to strike the animal with its middle part. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن أبي ثَعْلَبَة الْخُشَنِي قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ إِنَّا بِأَرْضِ قوم أهل كتاب أَفَنَأْكَلُ فِي آنِيَتِهِمْ وَبِأَرْضِ صَيْدٍ أَصِيدُ بِقَوْسِي وَبِكَلْبِي الَّذِي لَيْسَ بِمُعَلَّمٍ وَبِكَلْبِي الْمُعَلَّمِ فَمَا يصلح؟ قَالَ: «أما ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ آنِيَةِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُمْ غَيْرَهَا فَلَا تَأْكُلُوا فِيهَا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوا فاغسلوها وَكُلُوا فِيهَا وَمَا صِدْتَ بِقَوْسِكَ فَذَكَرْتَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ فَكُلْ وَمَا صِدْتَ بِكَلْبِكَ الْمُعَلَّمِ فَذَكَرْتَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ فَكُلْ وَمَا صِدْتَ بِكَلْبِكَ غَيْرِ معلم فأدركت ذَكَاته فَكل»

Abu Tha'laba al-Khushani told that he said, “Prophet of God, we are in a land belonging to folk who are people of the Book, so may we eat out of their vessels? In a hunting region I hunt with my bow, my dog which is not trained and my dog which is trained, so what is right for me?” He replied, “Regarding what you have mentioned about the vessels of the people of the Book, if you can get anything else do not eat out of them, but if you cannot, wash them and eat out of them. Eat what you catch with your bow when you have mentioned God’s name; eat what you catch by your trained dog when you have mentioned God’s name; and eat what you catch by your untrained dog when you are present at the kill.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا رَمَيْتَ بِسَهْمِكَ فَغَابَ عَنْكَ فَأَدْرَكْتَهُ فَكُلْ مَا لَمْ يُنْتِنْ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you shoot your arrow and the animal goes out of your sight, eat it when you come upon it, provided it has not a stench.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ فِي الَّذِي يُدْرِكُ صَيْدَهُ بَعْدَ ثَلَاثٍ: «فكله مَا لم ينتن» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

He reported the Prophet as saying about one who comes three days later on the game he has shot, “Eat it, provided it has not a stench.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن عَائِشَة قَالَت: قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ هُنَا أَقْوَامًا حَدِيثٌ عَهْدُهُمْ بِشِرْكٍ يَأْتُونَنَا بِلُحْمَانٍ لَا نَدْرِي أَيَذْكُرُونَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا أَمْ لَا؟ قَالَ: «اذْكُرُوا أَنْتُم اسمَ اللَّهِ وكلوا» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

‘A'isha told that some people said, “Messenger of God, there are people here, recent converts from polytheism, who bring us meat and we do not know whether or not they mention God’s name over it.” He replied, “Mention God’s name yourselves and eat.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي الطُّفَيْل قَالَ: سُئِلَ عَليّ: هَلْ خَصَّكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِشَيْءٍ؟ فَقَالَ: مَا خَصَّنَا بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَعُمَّ بِهِ النَّاسَ إِلَّا مَا فِي قِرَابِ سَيْفِي هَذَا فَأَخْرَجَ صَحِيفَةً فِيهَا: «لَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ ذَبَحَ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ سَرَقَ مَنَارَ الْأَرْضِ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ مَنْ غَيَّرَ مَنَارَ الْأَرْضِ وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ لَعَنَ وَالِدَهُ وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ آوَى مُحْدِثًا» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

Abut Tufail said ‘Ali was asked whether God’s messenger had given them* any instruction for themselves alone and replied that he had given them none which did not apply to all the people except what was in the scabbard of his sword. He then drew out a document containing, “God curse him who kills an animal mentioning anyone other than God, and God curse him who steals a landmark!” A version has, “who changes a landmark; God curse him who curses his father; and God curse him who protects an innovator!” *i.e. the members of the Prophet's family. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن رَافع بن خديج قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَاقُوا الْعَدُوَّ غَدًا وَلَيْسَتْ مَعَنَا مُدًى أَفَنَذْبَحُ بِالْقَصَبِ؟ قَالَ: " مَا أَنْهَرَ الدَّمَ وَذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ فَكُلْ لَيْسَ السِّنَّ وَالظُّفُرَ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْهُ: أَمَّا السِّنُّ فَعَظْمٌ وَأَمَّا الظُّفُرُ فَمُدَى الْحَبَشِ " وَأَصَبْنَا نَهْبَ إِبِلٍ وَغَنَمٍ فَنَدَّ مِنْهَا بِعِيرٌ فَرَمَاهُ رَجُلٌ بِسَهْمٍ فَحَبَسَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ لِهَذِهِ الْإِبِلِ أَوَابِدَ كَأَوَابِدِ الْوَحْشِ فَإِذَا غَلَبَكُمْ مِنْهَا شَيْءٌ فَافْعَلُوا بِهِ هَكَذَا»

Rafi‘ b. Khadij told that he said, “Messenger of God, we shall meet the enemy tomorrow and we have no knives; may we kill animals with canes?”* He replied, “When God’s name is mentioned you may eat what is killed by anything which causes the blood to flow, except tooth and claw. I shall tell you about it. The tooth is a bone and the claw is the knife of the Abyssinians.” We got some camels and sheep as booty, and when one of the camels ran away a man shot an arrow at it and prevented it from escaping, whereupon God’s messenger said, “Among camels there are some which bolt like wild animals, so when any of them get the better of you do thus to them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن كعبِ بنِ مَالك أَنه كانَ لَهُ غَنَمٌ تُرْعَى بِسَلْعٍ فَأَبْصَرَتْ جَارِيَةٌ لَنَا بِشَاةٍ مِنْ غَنَمِنَا مَوْتًا فَكَسَرَتْ حَجَرًا فَذَبَحَتْهَا بِهِ فَسَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأمره بأكلها. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Ka‘b b. Malik told that he had sheep which were pastured at Sal‘, and when a slavegirl of his saw one of their sheep which was dying she broke a stone and cut its throat with it. He questioned the Prophet and he ordered him to eat it. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Shaddad b. Aus reported God’s messenger as saying, “God who is blessed and exalted has decreed that everything should be done in a good way, so when you kill use a good method, and when you cut an animal’s throat you should use a good method, for each of you should sharpen his knife and give the animal as little pain as possible.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَنْهَى أَنْ تُصْبَرَ بهيمةٌ أَو غيرُها للْقَتْل

Ibn ‘Umar told that he heard God’s messenger prohibit keeping an animal or anything else* waiting to be killed. *The word translated animal is bahima, which indicates a quadruped. “Anything else” means other creatures which are killed for food. The prohibition is said to refer either to keeping such animals without food and drink, or to imprisoning them and using them as targets. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَعَنَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ شَيْئًا فِيهِ الرُّوحُ غَرَضًا

He told that the Prophet cursed those who used a living creature as a target. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا تَتَّخِذُوا شَيْئًا فِيهِ الرُّوحُ غَرَضًا» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, "Do not take any living creature as a target." Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الضَّرْبِ فِي الْوَجْهِ وَعَنِ الْوَسْمِ فِي الْوَجْه. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jabir told that God’s messenger forbade striking the face and branding on the face. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ حِمَارٌ وَقَدْ وُسِمَ فِي وَجْهِهِ قَالَ: «لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي وَسَمَهُ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

He reported the Prophet as saying when an ass which had been branded on its face passed him, “God curse the one who branded it!” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن أنس قَالَ: غَدَوْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ لِيُحَنِّكَهُ فَوَافَيْتُهُ فِي يَدِهِ الْمِيسَمُ يَسِمُ إِبِلَ الصَّدَقَة

Anas told that one morning he took ‘Abdallah b. Abu Talha to God’s messenger for him to chew something and rub his palate with it,* and found him with a branding-iron in his hand branding the camels of the sadaqa. *This was a custom for the purpose of acquiring a blessing for children. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي مِرْبَدٍ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يَسِمُ شَاءَ حسبته قَالَ: فِي آذانها

Hisham b. Zaid quoted Anas as saying that he went to visit the Prophet when he was in an enclosure and saw him branding sheep. He thought he said it was on their ears. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ أَحَدُنَا أَصَابَ صَيْدًا وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُ سِكِّينٌ أَيَذْبَحُ بِالْمَرْوَةِ وَشِقَّةِ الْعَصَا؟ فَقَالَ: «أَمْرِرِ الدَّمَ بِمَ شِئْتَ وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

‘Adi b. Hatim told that he said, “Tell me, messenger of God; when one of us catches game and has no knife, may he cut its throat with a flint and a splinter of stick?” He replied, “Cause the blood to flow with whatever you take and mention God’s name.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي العُشَراءِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمَا تَكُونُ الذَّكَاةُ إِلَّا فِي الْحَلْقِ وَاللَّبَّةِ؟ فَقَالَ: «لَوْ طَعَنْتَ فِي فَخِذِهَا لَأَجْزَأَ عَنْكَ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَقَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ: وَهَذِهِ ذَكَاةُ الْمُتَرَدِّي وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا فِي الضَّرُورَة

Abul ‘Ushara’* quoted his father as telling that he said, “Is the slaughtering to be done, messenger of God, only in the throat and the upper part of the breast?” He replied, “If you pierced its thigh that would serve you.” *He was Usama b. Malik b. Qahtam (or Qahtam). See Ibn *Abd al-Barr. Isti'ab, p. 246, No. 10S9. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. Abu Dawud said this is the way to slaughter an animal which has fallen into a well, and Tirmidhi said it is in case of necessity.

وَعَن عدي بن حَاتِم أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَا عَلَّمْتَ مِنْ كَلْبٍ أَوْ بَازٍ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْتَهُ وَذَكَرْتَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ فَكُلْ مِمَّا أَمْسَكَ عَلَيْكَ» . قُلْتُ: وَإِنْ قَتَلَ؟ قَالَ: «إِذَا قَتَلَهُ وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا فَإِنَّمَا أَمْسَكَهُ عَلَيْكَ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘Adi b. Hatim reported the Prophet as saying, “Eat whatever is caught for you by a dog or a hawk which you have trained and set off when you have mentioned God’s name.” He asked whether that applied if it killed the animal and he replied, “When it kills it without eating any of it, for it caught it only for you.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.