Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 4

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They ask you as to what has been made lawful for them. Say, “Made lawful for you are good things, and (hunting through) birds and beasts of prey that you train, teaching them out of what Allah has taught you. So, eat of what they hold for you, and recite the name of Allah upon it.” Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is swift at reckoning.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They ask you, ˹O Prophet,˺ what is permissible for them ˹to eat˺. Say, “What is good and lawful. Also what is caught by your hunting animals and birds of prey which you have trained as instructed by Allah. So eat what they catch for you, but mention the Name of Allah over it ˹first˺.” And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah is swift in reckoning.

Ruwwad Translation Center

They ask you [O Prophet] what is lawful to them. Say, “All good things are lawful for you, and that which is caught by your trained hunting animals and birds of prey, training them as Allah has taught you. Eat what they catch for you, but mention the name of Allah upon it.” And fear Allah, for Allah is swift in reckoning.

A. J. Arberry

They will question thee what is permitted them. Say: 'The good things are permitted you; and such hunting creatures as you teach, training them as hounds, and teaching them as God has taught you -- eat what they seize for you, and mention God's Name over it. Fear God; God is swift at the reckoning.'

Abdul Haleem

They ask you, Prophet, what is lawful for them. Say, ‘All good things are lawful for you.’ [This includes] what you have taught your birds and beasts of prey to catch, teaching them as God has taught you, so eat what they catch for you, but first pronounce God’s name over it. Be mindful of God: He is swift to take account.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They ask thee as to whatever is allowed unto them. Say thou: allowed unto you are all clean foods, and as to the animals of prey which ye have taught even as Allah hath taught you, eat of that which they have caught for you, and mention the name of Allah over it; and fear Allah, verily Allah is swift in reckoning.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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.

Abul Ala Maududi

They ask you what has been made lawful to them. Say: 'All clean things have been made lawful to you, and such hunting animals as you teach, training them to hunt, teaching them the knowledge Allah has given you - you may eat what they catch for you - but invoke the name of Allah on it. Have fear of Allah (in violating His Law). Allah is swift in His reckoning.'

Ahmed Ali

They ask you what is lawful for them. Say: "All things are lawful for you that are clean, and what the trained hunting animals take for you as you have trained then, in the light of God's teachings, but read over them the name of God, and fear (straying from the path of) God, for God is swift in the reckoning."

Ahmed Raza Khan

They ask you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) what is made lawful for them; say, “Pure things are made lawful for you, and the beasts (and birds) of prey which you have trained and use for hunting, (and) you teach them what Allah has taught you; so eat what they kill and leave for you, and mention Allah’s name upon it – and keep fearing Allah; indeed Allah is Swift At Taking Account.”

Ali Quli Qarai

They ask you as to what is lawful to them. Say, ‘All the good things are lawful to you.’ As for what you have taught hunting dogs [to catch], teaching them out of what Allah has taught you, eat of what they catch for you and mention Allah’s Name over it, and be wary of Allah. Indeed Allah is swift at reckoning.

Ali Ünal

They ask you (O Messenger) what is lawful for them (including in particular the game caught by trained hunting animals). Say: Lawful for you are (all) pure, wholesome things; and (as for) such hunting animals as you have trained as hounds teaching them from what God has taught you: you may eat of what they have caught for you (and brought to you dead or alive without themselves having eaten thereof). And pronounce God’s Name (while dispatching them to hunt for you). Keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety. Surely God is swift at reckoning.

Amatul Rahman Omar

They ask you what is made lawful for them. Say, `All good and pure things are made lawful for you. Also (made lawful) is the game held down by those birds and beasts of prey which you have trained, provided you set them at it to catch (it living) for you, (without their own eating from it after killing it), since you train them according to the knowledge Allâh has given you. So eat of that which they hold down for you and pronounce thereon the name of Allâh (while slaughtering it or while sending the hunting creatures after it). And take Allâh as a shield. Surely, Allâh is Swift in reckoning.

English Literal

They ask/question you what became permitted (allowed) for them, say: "Permitted/allowed for you (are) the goodnesses, and what you taught from the predatory animals, hunting birds and hunting dogs, training for hunting and retrieving , you teach them (F) from what God taught/instructed you, so eat from what they (F) held/grasped/seized on (for) you, and mention/remember God`s name on it, and fear and obey God, that God (is) quick/fast (in) the counting/calculating."

Faridul Haque

They ask you (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) what is made lawful for them; say, “Pure things are made lawful for you, and the beasts (and birds) of prey which you have trained and use for hunting, (and) you teach them what Allah has taught you; so eat what they kill and leave for you, and mention Allah’s name upon it - and keep fearing Allah; indeed Allah is Swift At Taking Account.”

Hamid S. Aziz

This day all things good and pure are made lawful for you. The food of those to whom the Book has been given is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them; and chaste women of those who believe, and chaste women of those to whom the Book has been given before you - when you have given them their marriage portions and live with them chastely, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines (or paramours). But whoever denies the faith, of a truth his work is vain, and he shall be among the losers in the Hereafter.

Hilali & Khan

They ask you (O Muhammad SAW) what is lawful for them (as food). Say: "Lawful unto you are At-Tayyibat [all kind of Halal (lawful-good) foods which Allah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits, etc.)]. And those beasts and birds of prey which you have trained as hounds, training and teaching them (to catch) in the manner as directed to you by Allah; so eat of what they catch for you, but pronounce the Name of Allah over it, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Swift in reckoning."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal), and that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall, and that killed by goring with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten -- except what you slaughter; and that which is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols), and that you seek to divide by arrows; that is a transgression. This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour to you and chosen for you Islam as a religion. But whoever is compelled by hunger, not including wilfully to sin, then surely Allah is Forgiving, merciful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

They ask you as to what is allowed to them. Say: The good things are allowed to you, and what you have taught the beasts and birds of prey, training them to hunt-- you teach them of what Allah has taught you-- so eat of that which they catch for you and mention the name of Allah over it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is swift in reckoning.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

They ask thee (O Muhammad) what is made lawful for them. Say: (all) good things are made lawful for you. And those beasts and birds of prey which ye have trained as hounds are trained, ye teach them that which Allah taught you; so eat of that which they catch for you and mention Allah's name upon it, and observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is swift to take account.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), they ask you what has been made lawful for them (as food). Tell them, "All pure things are made lawful for you." If you train dogs or other beasts for hunting, you should train them according to what God has taught you. It, then, is lawful for you to eat the animals that they hunt, provided you mention the Name of God over the prey. Have fear of God. Certainly God's reckoning is swift.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They ask you what is lawful to them. Say: 'The good things are lawful to you, as well as that which you have taught the birds and beasts of prey to catch, teaching them of what Allah has taught you. Eat of what they catch for you, pronouncing upon it the Name of Allah. And fear Allah, Allah is Swift at reckoning'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They ask you what is lawful for them. Say: "Lawful unto you are At-Tayyibat (the good things). And those Jawarih (beasts and birds of prey) which you have trained as hounds, training and teaching them (to catch) in the manner as directed to you by Allah; so eat of what they catch for you, but pronounce the Name of Allah over it, and have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is swift in reckoning."

Wahiduddin Khan

If they ask you what has been made lawful for them, say, "All good things have been made lawful for you;" and what you have taught your birds and beasts of prey to catch, training them as God has taught you. So eat what they catch for you, but first pronounce God's name over it. Fear God, for God is swift in taking account.

Talal Itani

They ask you what is permitted for them. Say, “Permitted for you are all good things, including what trained dogs and falcons catch for you.” You train them according to what God has taught you. So eat from what they catch for you, and pronounce God’s name over it. And fear God. God is Swift in reckoning.

Tafsir jalalayn

They will ask you, O Muhammad (s), about what, food, is made lawful for them. Say; `The good, delicious, things are made lawful for you; and the, quarry of, hunting creatures, dogs, wildcats or birds that catch food, you have taught, training [them] as hounds (mukallibn is a circumstantial qualifier, derived from kallabtu al-kalba, meaning, `I released the hound against the quarry') teaching them (tu`allimnahunna is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of mukallibn, `training [them] as hounds', in other words, `disciplining them') of what God has taught you, of the art of hunting; so eat what they have caught for you, even if they have killed it, as long as they have not eaten any of it. This is in contrast to the untrained [hunting creatures], whose catch is not lawful [for consumption]; the mark of these [being trained hunting creatures] is that they should return after they have been sent out, that they can be curbed when cried at and that they can seize the quarry without eating of it; the minimum number of times by which this may be known is three. If they eat any of it, then it cannot be counted as `what they have caught' for their trainers, and is consequently unlawful for consumption, as reported in hadth in both of the Sahhs [of Bukhr and Muslim] -- therein it is also mentioned that a catch made by an arrow over which God's name is mentioned is equivalent [in lawfulness] to the catch of trained hunting creatures. And mention God's name over it, when you unleash it. And fear God. Indeed, God is swift at the reckoning'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Clarifying the Lawful

In the previous Ayah Allah mentioned the prohibited types of food, the impure and unclean things, harmful for those who eat them, either to their bodies, religion or both, except out of necessity,
وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلاَّ مَا اضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ
(while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity), (6;119) after that, Allah said,

يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ

They ask you what is lawful for them. Say, "Lawful unto you are At-Tayyibat..."

In Surah Al-A`raf Allah describes Muhammad allowing the good things and prohibiting the filthy things.

Muqatil said,

"At-Tayyibat includes everything Muslims are allowed and the various types of legally earned provision."

Az-Zuhri was once asked about drinking urine for medicinal purposes and he said that it is not a type of Tayyibat.

Ibn Abi Hatim also narrated this statement.

Using Jawarih to Hunt Game is Permissible Allah said,

وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ

And those Jawarih (beasts and birds of prey) which you have trained as hounds...

That is, lawful for you are the animals slaughtered in Allah's Name, and the good things for sustenance. (The game you catch) with the Jawarih are also lawful for you. This refers to trained dogs and falcons, as is the opinion of the majority of the Companions, their followers, and the Imams.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said that,
وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ
(And those Jawarih (beasts and birds of prey) which you have trained as hounds...),

refers to trained hunting dogs, falcons and all types of birds and beasts that are trained to hunt, including dogs, wild cats, falcons, and so forth.

Ibn Abi Hatim collected this and said,

"Similar was reported from Khaythamah, Tawus, Mujahid, Makhul and Yahya bin Abi Kathir."

Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Umar said,

"You are permitted the animal that the trained birds, such as falcons, hunt for you if you catch it (before it eats from it). Otherwise, do not eat from it."

I say, the majority of scholars say that hunting with trained birds is just like hunting with trained dogs, because bird's of prey catch the game with their claws, just like dogs. Therefore, there is no difference between the two.

Ibn Jarir recorded that Adi bin Hatim said that;

he asked the Messenger of Allah about the game that the falcon hunts and the Messenger said,

مَا أَمْسَكَ عَلَيْكَ فَكُل

Whatever it catches for you, eat from it.

These carnivores that are trained to catch game are called Jawarih in Arabic, a word that is derived from Jarh, meaning, what one earns. The Arabs would say, "So-and-so has Jaraha something good for his family," meaning, he has earned them something good. The Arabs would say, "So-and-so does not have a Jarih for him," meaning, a caretaker.

Allah also said,
وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ
(And He knows what you have done during the day...), (6;60), meaning, the good or evil you have earned or committed.

Allah's statement,
مُكَلِّبِينَ
(trained as hounds),

those Jawarih that have been trained to hunt as hounds with their claws or talons. Therefore, if the game is killed by the weight of its blow, not with its claws, then we are not allowed to eat from the game.

Allah said,

تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللّهُ

training them in the manner as directed to you by Allah,

as when the beast is sent, it goes after the game, and when it catches it, it keeps it until its owner arrives and does not catch it to eat it itself.

This is why Allah said here,

فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُواْ اسْمَ اللّهِ عَلَيْهِ

so eat of what they catch for you, but pronounce the Name of Allah over it,

When the beast is trained, and it catches the game for its owner who mentioned Allah's Name when he sent the beast after the game, then this game is allowed according to the consensus of scholars, even if it was killed.

There are Hadiths in the Sunnah that support this statement.

The Two Sahihs recorded that `Adi bin Hatim said,

"I said, `O Allah's Messenger! I send hunting dogs and mention Allah's Name.'

He replied,

إِذَا أَرْسَلْتَ كَلْبَكَ الْمُعَلَّمَ وَذَكَرْتَ اسْمَ اللهِ فَكُلْ مَا أَمْسَكَ عَلَيْك

If, with mentioning Allah's Name, you let loose your tamed dog after a game and it catches it, you may eat what it catches.

I said, `Even if it kills the game?'

He replied,

وَإِنْ قَتَلْنَ مَا لَمْ يَشْرَكْهَا كَلْبٌ لَيْسَ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّكَ إِنَّمَا سَمَّيْتَ عَلى كَلْبِكَ وَلَمْ تُسَمِّ عَلى غَيْرِه

Even if it kills the game, unless another dog joins the hunt, for you mentioned Allah's Name when sending your dog, but not the other dog.

I said, `I also use the Mi`rad and catch game with it.'

He replied,

إِذَا رَمَيْتَ بِالْمِعْرَاضِ فَخَزقَ فَكُلْهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَهُ بِعَرْضٍ فَإِنَّهُ وَقِيذٌ فَلَ تَأْكُلْه

If the game is hit by its sharp edge, eat it, but if it is hit by its broad side, do not eat it, for it has been beaten to death.

In another narration, the Prophet said,

وَإِذَا أَرْسَلْتَ كَلْبَكَ فَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللهِ فَإِنْ أَمْسَكَ عَلَيْكَ فَأَدْرَكْتَهُ حَيًّا فَاذْبَحُهُ وَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتَهُ قَدْ قَتَلَ وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ مِنْهُ فَكُلْهُ فَإِنَّ أَخْذَ الْكَلْبِ ذَكَاتُه

If you send your hunting dog, then mention Allah's Name and whatever it catches for you and you find alive, slaughter it. If you catch the game dead and the dog did not eat from it, then eat from it, for the dog has caused its slaughter to be fulfilled.

In yet another narration of two Sahihs, the Prophet said,

فَإِنْ أَكَلَ فَلَإ تَأْكُلْ فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَمْسَكَ عَلى نَفْسِه

If the dog eats from the game, do not eat from it for I fear that it has caught it as prey for itself.
Mention Allah's Name Upon Sending the Predators to Catch the Game

Allah said,

فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُواْ اسْمَ اللّهِ عَلَيْهِ

so eat of what they catch for you, but pronounce the Name of Allah over it,

meaning, upon sending it.

The Prophet said to `Adi bin Hatim,

إِذَا أَرَسَلْتَ كَلْبَكَ الْمُعَلَّمَ وَذَكَرْتَ اسْمَ اللهِ فَكُلْ مَا أَمْسَكَ عَلَيْك

When you send your trained dog and mention Allah's Name, eat from what it catches for you.

It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Thalabah related that the Prophet said,

إِذَا أَرْسَلْتَ كَلْبَكَ فَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللهِ وَإِذَا رَمَيْتَ بِسَهْمِكَ فَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ الله

If you send your hunting dog, mention Allah's Name over it. If you shoot an arrow, mention Allah's Name over it.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented,
وَاذْكُرُواْ اسْمَ اللّهِ عَلَيْهِ
(but pronounce the Name of Allah over it),

"When you send a beast of prey, say, `In the Name of Allah!' If you forget, then there is no harm."

It was also reported that this Ayah commands mentioning Allah's Name upon eating. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah taught his stepson Umar bin Abu Salamah saying,

سَمِّ اللهَ وَكُلْ بِيَمِينِكَ وَكُلْ مِمَّا يَلِيك

Mention Allah's Name, eat with your right hand and eat from the part of the plate that is in front of you.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Aishah said,

"They asked, `O Allah's Messenger! Some people, - recently converted from disbelief - bring us some meats that we do not know if Allah's Name was mentioned over or not.'

He replied,

سَمُّوا اللهَ أَنْتُمْ وَكُلُوا

Mention Allah's Name on it and eat from it."

وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ



and have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is swift in reckoning.