His statement, “terrestrial”: this is the second description, referring to that which lives on land rather than in the sea, as Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“And forbidden to you is the game of the land as long as you are in the state of iḥrām.” [al-Māʾidah 5:96]

Its opposite is marine game. Marine game is that which can live only in water.

As for that which lives both on land and in water, treating it as terrestrial is the more cautious view, because it combines an aspect of prohibition and an aspect of permissibility; thus, the aspect of prohibition takes precedence.

Question: If fish are caught within the boundaries of the Sacred Precinct—for example, if there were a lake in Mecca containing fish—would this be permissible?

The correct view is that it is not prohibited, even though the jurists said that it is prohibited. The correct view is that it is lawful, because what is prohibited is terrestrial game.

His statement, “in origin”: that is, its original nature is terrestrial. What he means is that it must be wild by nature, even if it has become tame. Thus, for example, the rabbit is edible terrestrial game by origin, and a domesticated rabbit is like a wild rabbit, because its original nature is wild; therefore, it is prohibited for one in a state of iḥrām to kill it.

The dove is wild by origin; accordingly, what is taken into consideration is the original nature.

The evidence for this from the Quran is the saying of Allah, Exalted is He:

“O you who believe, do not kill game while you are in a state of iḥrām.” [al-Māʾidah 5:95]

The verse refers to destroying game as killing it, even if it was hunted in a legally prescribed manner, because it is carrion.

Game is that which combines the three preceding descriptions.

The evidence from the sunnah is that al-Saʿb ibn Jaththāmah, when the Prophet ﷺ stayed as his guest on his way to Mecca during the Farewell Pilgrimage—al-Saʿb being a swift runner, one who excelled in racing, and a hunter—went out and hunted a wild donkey,