The Rulings on Hunting in Islam
Hunting, within the framework of Islamic jurisprudence, is defined as the act of capturing a wild animal that is permissible to consume, which is not owned by anyone nor easily attainable. This practice is considered lawful in Islam, as indicated by the verse in the Holy Quran: “Forbidden to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah… except for what you are able to hunt while in the state of ihram” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 1). Hunting is permissible if it serves a genuine need of the Muslim; however, hunting for mere amusement is discouraged, as it is viewed as frivolous behavior. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explicitly prohibited using animals as targets for shooting. Additionally, hunting is forbidden under certain circumstances, such as within the confines of the sacred sanctuary (Haram) for those in the state of ihram and others, according to the consensus of scholars. Furthermore, while in ihram, Muslims are prohibited from hunting game or assisting in its capture in any form.
Conditions for the Hunter in Islam
To ensure that hunting is valid according to Islamic law, several conditions must be met by the hunter, which include:
- The hunter must be of sound mind and mature; this is the view of the majority of scholars from the Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali schools, as well as some opinions among the Shafi’i.
- The individual must not be in a state of ihram due to pilgrimage or umrah; a hunter in this state is prohibited from consuming the game they catch, as it is considered carrion.
- The hunter must invoke the name of Allah at the moment of release or shooting, a requirement widely accepted among scholars.
- The intention must be to hunt permissible game at the time of the shot or release; should the intention be to injure a human, a domestic animal, or an inanimate object, the resulting game is deemed impermissible.
- The hunter must be someone whose slaughter is considered lawful; this means they should be either a Muslim or a person of the scripture. Hunting by someone who is non-believing, polytheist, or similar is not allowed.
Conditions for the Game in Islam
For hunting to be considered valid, specific conditions must also be met regarding the game itself, including:
- The animal must be one that the hunter cannot easily slaughter.
- The hunting dog must not be joined by other dogs when grasping the game.
- The hunting dog must not consume any part of the game caught.
- If any limb of the hunted animal detaches during the capture, that limb is not permitted for consumption.
- If the hunted animal falls into water and dies, it is not permissible to eat it.
- If the hunter loses track of the game for a period but later finds it with an indication of having been struck by an arrow, they may consume it provided no more than three nights have passed since the encounter.