What is the ruling if two hunters shoot game simultaneously, and it dies from both shots?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Hunting and Slaughter

Book 56 · Issue 6 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If both hunters shoot simultaneously and kill the game, it is lawful (halal), and both owners share ownership because they jointly caused the act establishing ownership and lawfulness, regardless of whether the wounds were equal or unequal, as death resulted from both. If one shot was immediately fatal (Ihwa'iyya) and the other was not, and the non-fatal shot would not have secured the game alone, the game belongs solely to the owner of the immediately fatal shot, as that owner secured the game and caused its death. The other hunter owes nothing because their wound occurred before the establishment of the other hunter's claim to ownership.