Hunting with Weapons

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Whatever is hunted by swords, arrows and spears are lawful to use for food.’ He (the Imam) was asked about the prey, which is assigned to several people in portions before it dies. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘If one causes injuries to a prey and mentions the name of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, then it remains for one or two nights without being eaten by the beasts; and he knows that his weapon is that which has caused its death, he can use it for food if he wants.’ About a mountain goat hunted by a man but people intercept him and the man follows it; if you consider it a plunder. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not plundering and it is not unlawful.’”

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the prey which his owner finds the next day; if he can use it for food. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he knows that it is the prey which he had killed, he can use it for food if he had mentioned the name of Allah.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a man who shoots a wild donkey or a deer which is shot and he searches for it but finds it the next day with his arrow in it. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he knows that his shot had hit it and the arrow is his arrow which has killed it, he then can use it for food, otherwise, he cannot use it for food.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I shoot my arrow but I am not certain if I mentioned the name of Allah or not.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You can use it for food and it is not unlawful.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if I shoot and the prey disappears, then I find it with my arrow in it. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can use for food if it is not eaten yet, but if something has eaten thereof then do not use it for food.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a prey that a man hits with a sword or with a spear or shoots with an arrow and kills, and he has mentioned the name of Allah when shooting. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can use it for food and it is not unlawful.’”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a prey that its owner finds; if he can use it for food. He (the Imam) said, ’If he knows that it is his shot that has killed it, he can use it for food.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, about a prey that is found dead with an arrow in it and it is not known who has killed it, said, ’Do not use it for food.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a man who shoots a prey and hits it. People before him come and interrupt him. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can use it for food.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you shoot a prey then find it without any other marks except your arrow and you know that nothing other than your arrow has killed it, you can use it for food, regardless, it had disappeared from you or not.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who shoots a prey from the mountain and the arrow pierces through and comes out from the other side. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can use it for food. ‘He (the Imam) said, ‘If it falls in water or rolls down the mountain and dies then do not use it for food.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A prey must not be hit with something bigger than the prey.’” (It is because the cause of death becomes confused with the weight and force of the hunter).