How to verify
- Pigeon (squab) is a lawful bird.
- It must be slaughtered Islamically: a bird that dies another way is not Halal.
- Hunted pigeon is permitted, but not by someone in ihram or within the Haram.
- In restaurants and pastilla, ask how the bird was slaughtered.
Quick checks
- A lawful bird.
- Slaughtered Islamically.
- No hunting in ihram or the Haram.
What decides the answer
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Pigeon slaughtered Islamically
Halal -
Pigeon hunted lawfully (not in ihram, not in the Haram)
Halal -
Pigeon that died without slaughter
not Halal
Why this ruling
Pigeon, often sold as squab when young, is the classic filling of Moroccan pastilla and is served in restaurants as squab.
Is it a lawful bird?
Yes. The Companions ruled that a pilgrim in ihram who hunts the pigeons of the Haram owes a sheep in expiation, "which indicates that it is permissible to eat them", and al-Nawawi wrote that his school's scholars "unanimously agreed" that pigeons may be eaten.[1]
Slaughter and hunting
Like any bird, a pigeon is Halal only when slaughtered Islamically; one that dies otherwise "is not halal, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point."[1] Hunting is allowed: Egypt's Dar al-Ifta says "it is perfectly permissible to hunt and shoot birds for food except when in a state of ihram", and not within the Haram.[2] For other birds, see duck and chicken.
Where you'll find it
- Squab in restaurants
- Moroccan pastilla
Frequently asked questions
Is pigeon Halal?
Is squab Halal?
Can you eat a hunted pigeon?
Scholarly view
Birds are permitted unless they are birds of prey that hunt with talons, and pigeons are not. The clearest evidence is the Companions' ruling that a pilgrim who kills a pigeon of the Haram owes a sheep: an expiation is owed only for game that may lawfully be eaten.
Al-Nawawi records the Shafi'i scholars as agreed on it. The usual slaughter condition applies, and hunting follows the rules of the hunt.
Sources
Named Islamic, certifier, manufacturer, and regulatory sources used on this page. Inline markers like [1] jump here. Retrieval dates show when we last checked the live URL. Editorial methodology.
Islamic / scriptural
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IslamQA.info Retrieved
3 October 2011: the Companions ruled that 'if a muhrim (pilgrim in ihram) hunted the pigeons of the Haram (sanctuary), the expiation for that is a sheep, which indicates that it is permissible to eat them'; al-Nawawi: 'Our companions unanimously agreed that it is permissible to eat... ducks, sand grouse, sparrows, larks, francolin and pigeons'; and a bird that dies without proper slaughter 'is not halal, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point.'
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Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah (Egypt) Retrieved
5 May 2015: 'It is perfectly permissible to hunt and shoot birds for food except when in a state of ihram', and not within the Haram; a bird injured but still alive should be slaughtered.
