Trained Hunting Animals

**Condition: The hunting animal must be TRAINED (mu'allam)** This means it knows the etiquette of catching prey, shown by these traits: --- **For Dogs (and similar beasts like cheetahs):** **1. Goes toward the intended prey when released** Does not go after something else. **2. Stops when commanded to stop** When the owner restrains it, it obeys. *Note:* These two conditions are for dogs specifically. The cheetah rarely responds when called but is still considered trained. --- **For Birds of Prey:** **1. Launches when released** Goes toward the prey when sent. **2. Returns when called** Comes back when the owner summons it. --- **For Both Dogs and Birds:** **3. Does not eat from the prey before reaching its owner** If the hunting animal eats from the prey before the hunter reaches it, **the meat is not halal**. --- **Evidence:** - Allah says: "Say: Lawful for you are the good things and what you train of hunting animals, teaching them as Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention Allah's name upon it" [Al-Ma'idah: 4]. - Adi ibn Hatim narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "If you release your trained dog, and mention Allah's name, and it catches [prey] and kills it - eat. But if it eats from it, do not eat, for it has only caught for itself" [Bukhari & Muslim].