some scholars that game caught by a dog may not be eaten if the dog has eaten any of it, because it caught it only for itself. The position adopted by Mālik—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—and all his followers is correct, since there is no distinction between dogs and other hunting animals, and Allah has grouped them together in His Book. The scholars agree that a dog’s killing of game constitutes its lawful slaughter. Thus, by analogy, there is no difference between its eating some of its catch after killing it and its eating a lawfully slaughtered sheep.

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The reasoning of those who prohibit eating such game—that if the dog eats any of it, it has caught it for itself rather than for us—is unsound, because we cannot know the dog’s intention. It may catch the prey for itself, then change its mind and refrain from eating; or it may catch it for us, then change its mind and eat. When we release it, we do not know whether it will catch prey for itself or for us. Indeed, what we do know is that it catches prey for itself: were it full, it would not hunt. That is why it is kept hungry before being sent after game. Thus, when it catches prey for itself, it has also caught it for us. No one can reasonably suppose that, when its owner releases it, the dog sets off with the sole intention of serving the one who sent it, without regard for itself. That would contradict its natural disposition to seize prey for itself. Had Allah Most High required us to train hunting animals in this way, He would have required us to change their very nature, and such a requirement cannot rightly be imposed.

Moreover, the scholars agree that when a trained dog kills game, it is permissible to eat it without waiting to see whether the dog eats any of it, so as to determine whether it caught it for itself or for us. Their agreement on this shows that whether it eats any of the catch is not a determining consideration. Some who hold this view have said that the dog should be tested three times: if it does not eat, its catch may be eaten. But this is unsound by analogy.

As for the report narrated by Shuʿba from ʿAdī ibn Hātim, in which the Prophet ﷺ said, “If the dog eats, do not eat,” Hammām differed from him in his narration and did not mention this addition. An additional phrase in a hadith is not accepted if it conflicts with established principles. Ibn ʿUmar narrated from the Prophet ﷺ a report whose soundness is supported by established principles: he said, “If it eats, then eat.” Al-Shāfiʿī said, “Hawks, falcons, eagles, and dogs are all alike: game caught by