Fatwa ID: 09133
Answered by Mufti Yusuf Badshah
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wrwb,
I know that in hunting after shooting the animal one must be in the continuous process of hunting the animal until it dies (i.e. if it doesn’t die from the shot then to go and slaughter it).
My question is that for larger game like deer, if the shot is non-fatal (ex. a gut shot) then the animal will run a little bit (around 100-200 yards) and then settle down (first bed). If the hunter startles it from this first bed then it will run away very far (up to a mile) and won’t be recoverable. Seeing that a gut shot will take over 10 hours to kill what would be the appropriate course of action?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Hunting with guns should be avoided. If the animal dies from the gunshot or any other form of blunt force trauma then the meat will not be permissible [1]. If the animal survives, then it will only be permissible to eat if it is caught and slaughtered properly while still alive [2].
Thus, the hunter may either wait until it still alive but too weak to move or try to block off its escape route. There is no requirement for one to continuously pursue it, but it must be alive when they find it.
However, it would be far more preferable to first capture the animal and then slaughter it correctly without causing it unnecessary suffering prior to slaughter [3].
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Yusuf Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
{حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ … ۞}
Surah Al-Ma’idah 3
[2]
{ … إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ … ۞}
Surah Al-Ma’idah 3
(فَإِنْ أَدْرَكَهُ الرَّامِي أَوْ الْمُرْسِلُ حَيًّا ذَكَّاهُ) وُجُوبًا فَلَوْ تَرَكَهَا حَرُمَ
Raddul Muhtar, vol. 6, pg. 469, Darul Fikr
[3]
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَشْعَثِ، عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ، قَالَ ثِنْتَانِ حَفِظْتُهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ فَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ
Sahih Muslim 1955