Q: It is prohibited in Islam for a Muhrim (pilgrim in the ritual state for hajj or 'Umrah) to hunt land game animals while on Hajj or 'Umrah. It is likewise prohibited for him to eat the meat of game if it is hunted for him. Otherwise, there is no harm in this as was mentioned in hadiths.My question is as follows: If a person hunts land game while he is not a Muhrim, is it lawful for him to eat its meat. But, if he saves some of this meat, by drying or freezing it or in any other method, and assumes Ihram (ritual state for Hajj and 'Umrah), is it lawful for him to eat from this meat, considering it as just meat and not hunted game. Or, it is prohibited to consume it due its being stored meat of a game that was hunted for him before Ihram, then he assumed Ihram and saved the leftover of the meat? May Allah grant you success. A: A Muhrim for Hajj or 'Umrah who eats from land game animals which are lawful for consumption is (Part No. 10; Page No. 163

A: A Muhrim for Hajj or 'Umrah who eats from land game animals which are lawful for consumption is (Part No. 10; Page No. 163) of four kinds, as pertains to the question. The ruling on each one of them is as follows: The first: There is a scholarly consensus on the ruling implied in an Ayah (Qur'anic verse) in Surat Al-Ma'idah: O you who believe! Kill not game while you are in a state of Ihram for Hajj or 'Umrah (pilgrimage). From this Ayah, it is deduced that a Muhrim is not to hunt land game while he is wearing the clothes of Ihram (ritual state for Hajj and 'Umrah) or in anything related to it. Second: According to the more correct of the two opinions maintained by scholars, it is prohibited for a Muhrim to eat land game even if a non-Muhrim hunted it for him. It is reported on the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Land game is lawful for you while you are in Ihram (ritual state for Hajj or 'Umrah) as long as you do not hunt it or have it hunted on your behalf. Recorded by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy and Al-Nasa'y. Third: It is permissible for a Muhrim to eat land game if it was hunted by a person who was not in a state of Ihram and if it was not hunted specifically for the Muhrim. The hadiths on this issue were interpreted as maintaining the permissibility of a Muhrim eating from land game. Fourth: If a Muslim hunts land game before entering into the state of Ihram and then stores some of the meat of the game and afterwards enters into Ihram, there is no sin in eating the meat. This is because (Part No. 10; Page No. 164) hunting before entering into Ihram is lawful based upon the basic permissibility of the act.May Allah grant us success. May Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and his Companions,