Is Hunting Permissible?
Question:
Assalamu ‘Alaykum.
Are hunting and falconry permissible? Some cows are subjected to awful animal cruelty. Can we buy the leather from non-halal, non-tayyib, abused cows?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
Hunting Is Permissible With Conditions
Yes, hunting is permissible if it is for food or as a means of income. Such as if someone hunted to earn a living from selling the materials gained from the animals hunted.
Hunting for sport, however, is not permissible. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Don’t treat anything that has a soul as a target.“ (Muslim) (Ibn ‘Abidn, Radd al Muhtar, al Mawsu’a al Kuwaitiyya)
Animal Cruelty Is Impermissible
Treating animals with cruelty is impermissible and a form of wrongdoing. This applies more so in the cases where people make animals fight and get injured. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) passed by a donkey that had been branded on its face, and he said, “Allah has cursed whoever branded it.“ (Muslim)
Therefore, these practices are clearly impermissible. It would, however, be permissible to purchase the hide of the cows you mentioned in the sense that it is a valid transaction. However, it is more ethical to avoid it, not to support the industry.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.
