Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Respected Sir,

In Saudi Arabia, people hunting the animals with Cheetah .. cheetah run after the animal .. catch it for its master .. then the master came to the animal and slaughter it with knife. Is this hunting technique legal and permissible in Islam ???

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Answer:

Hunting animals with animals

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 4:

4 They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food): say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah; eat what they catch for you but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.494 Narrated by Adi bin Hatim

I asked the Prophet (saws) "I send off (for a game) my trained hunting dogs; (what is your verdict concerning the game they hunt?" He (saws) said, "If you send off your trained hunting dogs and mention the Name of Allah, then, if they catch some game, eat (thereof). And if you hit the game with a mi'rad (a hunting tool) and it wounds it, you can eat it (after its due slaughter)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.404 Narrated by Abu Thalaba Al Khushani

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘If you hunt something with your bow, mention Allah's Name (while hunting the game) and eat it; and if you hunt something with your trained hound, mention Allah's Name on sending and eat; and if you hunt something with your untrained hound and get it alive, slaughter it and you can eat of it."

Although the normal animals trained for hunting game are hounds, hawks, falcons, etc….if one has indeed trained a cheetah to hunt for them, there is absolutely no harm in eating of the game caught by their trained animals provided the Blessed Name of Allah Subanah is declared when the trained animal is sent to catch the game, and one is able to duly slaughter the lawful animal which is caught by their trained animal.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan