يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَآ أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ ۖ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُ ۙ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّآ أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ 4
Translations
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allāh has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allāh upon it, and fear Allāh." Indeed, Allāh is swift in account.
Transliteration
Yas'alunaka matha uhilla lahum qul uhilla lakumu at-tayyibatu wa ma allamtum mina al-jawarih mukallibina tuallimunnahunna mimma allamakumu Allah fakulu mimma amsakna alaikum wadhkuru asma Allah alaihi wattaqu Allah inna Allah sari'u al-hisab
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the permissibility of hunting with trained animals (dogs and birds of prey). Allah permits the consumption of wholesome foods and game caught by trained hunting animals, provided that the hunter mentions Allah's name before the animal is released. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that the condition 'what they seize for you' means the animal must be trained to bring back the catch, and if the animal eats from the kill, the game remains permissible as long as the hunter initiated the hunt with Allah's name.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ma'idah's broader discussion of halal and haram foods (5:1-5), revealed in Medina during the later Islamic period when the Muslim community required detailed guidance on dietary laws. The immediate context addresses permissible hunting practices among the Bedouin Arabs, who relied heavily on hunting for sustenance.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (5482): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'If you send your dog to hunt and you mention the name of Allah, then eat [from the kill].' Also relevant is Sahih Muslim (1929) which discusses the permissibility of eating game hunted by trained dogs and birds of prey.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that provision comes through lawful means combined with obedience to Allah's commands—hunters must invoke Allah's name to sanctify their sustenance, reminding us that all blessings require mindfulness of the Divine and conscious adherence to religious principles in our daily pursuits.