72/8. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5484 — Hunting Rules With Hounds and Arrows
If the hunter hits a game but does not catch it till two or three days
Hunting With Dogs Hadith: Clear Rules for Halal Game
Sahih Bukhari : 5484
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5484
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا أَرْسَلْتَ كَلْبَكَ وَسَمَّيْتَ فَأَمْسَكَ وَقَتَلَ، فَكُلْ، وَإِنْ أَكَلَ فَلاَ تَأْكُلْ، فَإِنَّمَا أَمْسَكَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَإِذَا خَالَطَ كِلاَبًا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا فَأَمْسَكْنَ وَقَتَلْنَ فَلاَ تَأْكُلْ، فَإِنَّكَ لاَ تَدْرِي أَيُّهَا قَتَلَ، وَإِنْ رَمَيْتَ الصَّيْدَ فَوَجَدْتَهُ بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ، لَيْسَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَثَرُ سَهْمِكَ، فَكُلْ، وَإِنْ وَقَعَ فِي الْمَاءِ فَلاَ تَأْكُلْ ".
`Adi bin Hatim Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If you let loose your hound after a game and mention Allah's Name on sending it, and the hound catches the game and kills it, then you can eat of it. But if the hound eats of it, then you should not eat thereof, for the hound has caught it for itself. And if along with your hound, joined other hounds, and Allah's Name was not mentioned at the time of their sending, and they catch an animal and kill it, you should not eat of it, for you will not know which of them has killed it.And if you have thrown an arrow at the game and then find it (dead) two or three days later and, it bears no mark other than the wound inflicted by your arrow, then you can eat of it. But if the game is found (dead) in water, then do not eat of it."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5484In-book reference : Book 72, Hadith 10USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 67, Hadith 393
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5484
This hunting with dogs hadith gives several practical rules in one report. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says that if a hound is sent after game while Allah’s Name is mentioned, and it catches and kills the game, the hunter may eat it. But if the hound eats from it, the game is not to be eaten, because the hound caught it for itself. If other hounds join and Allah’s Name was not mentioned over them, the game is also avoided because the killer is unknown. The hadith also mentions arrow hunting: if the animal is found after a day or two with only the mark of the arrow, it may be eaten. If it is found in water, it is not eaten.
What we learn from this hadith
- Mention Allah’s Name when sending the hound.
- Do not eat game if the hound has eaten from it.
- Do not eat game when other hounds join and the killer is unknown.
- Game found in water is avoided in this narration.
