Hunting and Hunting Licenses
Q: Please could you let us know the Islamic viewpoint regarding the following matters related to hunting:
- In Zambia, the government sells licenses for hunting. Prospective buyers firstly have to pay a non-refundable fee in order to attain the right to bid. Thereafter, they can submit bids for licenses. Is this payment of a non-refundable fee permissible?
- Once bids are submitted, the government through its discretion approves certain bids and rejects others. A person whose bid is accepted for a certain animal e.g. a buffalo, can go out and hunt the buffalo himself, or even sell the license to a third party at a profit. Is this reselling of the license permissible?
- Government rules state that when the animal is shot and wounded, the license holder will be regarded as having attained the provisions of the license, regardless of whether he actually manages to catch the animal or not. If we regard the actual bay’ to take place when the hunter gets hold of the animal, then a situation might arise where he doesn’t get any mabee’ or he gets a dead animal (maytah). Please advise on this aspect.
- The government has demarcated national parks in which wild animals are confined. Would this be regarded as Ihraaz by the government? Furthermore, would it be permissible for a hunter to hunt more animals than what he has paid for i.e. poaching? If he does, will it be permissible for him to consume the meat thereof?