Q 1: Some people use traps for hunting wild birds which eat grains. These traps consist of some stones inside which grains are placed. When birds eat from the grains, rocks fall on them and the birds die without being slaughtered. Is the meat of such birds considered Halal (lawful) or Haram (prohibited)?

A: If such birds die as a result of rocks falling on them, it is impermissible to eat from their meat. However, (Part No. 22; Page No. 516) if a person reaches such a bird (or even an animal) before it dies, slaughters it, and its blood flows; its meat will be considered Halal. A proof for this is the Ayah (Qur'anic verse) in which Allah (Exalted be He) states: Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (the dead animals - cattle - beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which Allâh’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering, (that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allâh, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns, and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.