Complete Translation of Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 10:

Game (Kitab Al-Said)


Chapter 1050: To have a dog for hunting and some other purposes


Book 10, Number 2839:

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mughaffal:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Were dogs not a species of creature I should command that they all be killed; but kill every pure black one.


Book 10, Number 2840:

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:

The Prophet of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) ordered to kill dogs, and we were even killing a dog which a woman brought with her from the desert. Afterwards he forbade to kill them, saying: Confine yourselves to the type which is black.


Chapter 1051: On Game


Book 10, Number 2841:

Narrated 'Adi b. Hatim:

I asked the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), and said: I set my trained dogs, and they catch (something) for me; may I eat (it)? He said: When you set off trained dogs and mention Allah's name, eat what they catch for you. I said: Even if they killed (the game)? He said: Even if they killed (the game) so long as another dog does not join it. I said: I shoot with a featherless arrow, and it strikes the target; may I eat (it)? He said: If you shoot with a featherless arrow and mention the name of Allah, and it strikes the aim, and pierce it, eat it; and if it strikes with it middle, do not eat (it).


Book 10, Number 2842:

Narrated 'Adi b. Hatim:

I asked the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). I said: We hunt with these dogs. He replied: When you set off your dog and mention Allah's name over it, eat what it caches for you, even if it kills it, except that the dog has eaten (any of it); if the dog has eaten (any of it), do not eat, for I am afraid it has caught it only for itself.


Book 10, Number 2843:

Narrated 'Adi b. Hatim:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When you shoot your arrow and mention Allah's name, and you find it (the game) after a day, and you do not find it in water, and you find in it only the mark of your arrow, eat (it); but if another dog joins your dogs, do not eat it, for you do not know maybe the one which was not yours has killed it.


Book 10, Number 2844:

Narrated 'Adi b. Hatim: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When the animal at which you shot falls in water, is drowned, and dies, do not eat.


Book 10, Number 2845:

Narrated Adi ibn Hatim:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Eat what ever is caught for you by a dog or a hawk you have trained and set off when you have mentioned Allah's name. I said: (Does this apply) if it killed (the animal)? He said: When it kills it without eating any of it, for it caught it only for you.

Abu Dawud said: If a hawk eats any of it, there is no harm (in eating it). If a dog eats it, it is disapproved (to eat the meat). If it drinks blood, there is no harm (in eating it).


Book 10, Number 2846:

Narrated Abu Tha'labah al-Khushani:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said about the game hunted by a dog: If you set off your dog and have mentioned Allah's name, eat (it), even if it eats any of it; and eat what your hands return you.


Book 10, Number 2847:

Narrated Adi ibn Hatim:

Apostle of Allah, one of us shoots at the game, and follows its mark for two or three days, and then finds it dead, and there is his arrow (pierced) in it, may he eat it? He said: Yes, if he wishes, or he said: he may eat if he wishes.


Book 10, Number 2848:

Narrated 'Adi b. Hatim:

I asked the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) about featherless arrow. He said: If it strikes with its end, eat, and if it strikes with the middle part of it, do not eat, for it died by a violent blow. I said: I set off my dog? He replied: If you mention Allah's name, eat, otherwise do not eat. If it eats any of it, do not eat, for it caught for itself. I asked: I set off my dog, and I find with it another dog? He replied: Do not eat, because you mentioned Allah's name on your dog.


Book 10, Number 2849:

Narrated Abu Tha'labat b. al-Khushani:

I said: Apostle of Allah, I hunt with my trained dog, and with my untrained dog? He said: What you hunt with your trained dog, mention Allah's name (on it) and eat; and what you hunt with your untrained dog, and you find in a position that you slaughter it, then eat.


Book 10, Number 2850:

Narrated Abu Tha'labah al-Khushani:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said to me: Abu Tha'labah, eat what returns to you by your bow and your dog.

Ibn Harb's version adds: "The trained (dog), and your hand, then eat, whether it has been slaughtered or not slaughtered".


Book 10, Number 2851:

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:

There was a bedouin called AbuTha'labah. He said: Apostle of Allah, I have trained dogs, so tell me your opinion about (eating) the animal they hunt. The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If you have trained dogs, then eat what they catch for you. He asked: Whether it is slaughtered or not? He replied: Yes. He asked: Does it apply even if it eats any of it? He replied: Even if it eats any of it. He again asked: Apostle of Allah, tell me your opinion about my bow (i.e. the game hunted by arrow). He said: Eat what your bow returns to you, whether it is slaughtered or not. He asked: If it goes out of my sight? He replied: Even if it goes out of your sight, provided it has no stench, or you find a mark on it other than the mark of your arrow.

He asked: Tell me about the use of the vessels of the Magians when we are forced to use them. He replied: Wash them and eat in them.


Chapter 1052: On eating the part cut off on an animal while it is alive


Book 10, Number 2852:

Narrated Abu Waqid:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Whatever is cut off of an animal when it is alive is dead.


Chapter 1053: On pursuing the game


Book 10, Number 2853:

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: (the narrator Sufyan said: I do not know but that it [the tradition] has been transmitted from the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him): He who lives in the desert will become rude; he who pursues the game will be negligent, and he who visits a king will be perverted.


Book 10, Number 2854:

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: He said: He who sticks to a king is perverted. This version adds: The nearer a servant (of Allah) goes to a king, the farther he keeps away from Allah.


Book 10, Number 2855:

Narrated Abu Tha'labah al-Khushani:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When you shoot your arrow (and the animal goes out of your sight) and you come three days later on it, and in it there is your arrow, then eat provided it has not stench.