Is it permissible to train falcons on live pigeons?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you.
Is it permissible to train falcons on live pigeons or to hunt with them?
Because I see them placing a live pigeon in a loose, easy-to-handle net and releasing it into the air, where the falcon swoops down and tears it apart, its talons getting caught in the net, and they catch it. Is this permissible?
The Shaykh : Do they hunt the falcon?
The questioner : They hunt the falcon using a live pigeon.
The Shaykh : But how does it reach the pigeon when it is in the net?
The questioner : They dress it in the net like a long garment and release it at a distance on a long rope, then they hide. The falcon comes and thinks it is alive, so it attacks and tears it apart.
The Shaykh : It thinks it is alive?
The questioner : No, no, it is alive.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And they train it on a live pigeon, every day with a live pigeon. I saw one of them come every day to train his falcon with a live pigeon, letting it fly, then training the falcon on it. Then, when it catches it, he encourages it with a reward by giving it a piece of its meat.
The Shaykh : What I hear is that they release the pigeon and do not put it in a net; they release the pigeon and release the falcon on it.
The questioner : They release it sometimes, and put it in a net when the falcon is new and not yet tamed and is still wild. They put the pigeon in a net and release it at a distance, so the falcon comes, its talons get caught in the net, it tears the pigeon apart, drags it, and catches it.
The Shaykh : Is it not possible to teach it except by this method?
The questioner : They said it is not possible to teach it except by this method. As for hunting it while it is still wild, its hunting is basically done by this method: they put a pigeon in a net for it.
The Shaykh : If it is not possible to benefit from it except by this method, and it is alive, then there is no harm. But if it is possible, even by a distant method, then it is not permissible to harm it.
The questioner : And hunting the wild falcon?
The Shaykh : there is no harm in it.
The questioner : With a live pigeon?
The Shaykh : There is no harm in it if it is not possible except by this.
The questioner : Is there not torture of the animal in it?
The Shaykh : Torture for a benefit, like how we brand it for its benefit.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
Is it permissible to train falcons on live pigeons or to hunt with them?
Because I see them placing a live pigeon in a loose, easy-to-handle net and releasing it into the air, where the falcon swoops down and tears it apart, its talons getting caught in the net, and they catch it. Is this permissible?
The Shaykh : Do they hunt the falcon?
The questioner : They hunt the falcon using a live pigeon.
The Shaykh : But how does it reach the pigeon when it is in the net?
The questioner : They dress it in the net like a long garment and release it at a distance on a long rope, then they hide. The falcon comes and thinks it is alive, so it attacks and tears it apart.
The Shaykh : It thinks it is alive?
The questioner : No, no, it is alive.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And they train it on a live pigeon, every day with a live pigeon. I saw one of them come every day to train his falcon with a live pigeon, letting it fly, then training the falcon on it. Then, when it catches it, he encourages it with a reward by giving it a piece of its meat.
The Shaykh : What I hear is that they release the pigeon and do not put it in a net; they release the pigeon and release the falcon on it.
The questioner : They release it sometimes, and put it in a net when the falcon is new and not yet tamed and is still wild. They put the pigeon in a net and release it at a distance, so the falcon comes, its talons get caught in the net, it tears the pigeon apart, drags it, and catches it.
The Shaykh : Is it not possible to teach it except by this method?
The questioner : They said it is not possible to teach it except by this method. As for hunting it while it is still wild, its hunting is basically done by this method: they put a pigeon in a net for it.
The Shaykh : If it is not possible to benefit from it except by this method, and it is alive, then there is no harm. But if it is possible, even by a distant method, then it is not permissible to harm it.
The questioner : And hunting the wild falcon?
The Shaykh : there is no harm in it.
The questioner : With a live pigeon?
The Shaykh : There is no harm in it if it is not possible except by this.
The questioner : Is there not torture of the animal in it?
The Shaykh : Torture for a benefit, like how we brand it for its benefit.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.