What is the ruling on one who accidentally kills a bird or a cat in Mecca, and how does one expiate that?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is a privilege of Mecca that its game is forbidden. And whoever kills game therein must pay a penalty, whether intentionally or by mistake. There is no penalty for killing a cat because it is not edible. As for an edible bird like a pigeon, the penalty is a sheep. And concerning what the Companions did not rule on, one should refer to the opinion of two just individuals, or its value. The killer has the choice between paying the penalty, or its value in food for the poor, or fasting one day for every mudd.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/112461
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 112461
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy