I went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked: 'We live in the land of the People of the Book; can we eat in their plates?"

Abu Tha‘labah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) if they were allowed to eat in the plates of the People of the Book, although they may be impure? "The People of the Book" refers to the Jews and the Christians, who were Abu Tha‘labah’s neighbors. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted him to use these plates for eating or otherwise on two conditions: 1. Failing to find other utensils. 2. Washing them.

He then said that they were living in a land full of game and he would hunt with his bow, his trained hound, and his untrained hound. He asked what would be lawful to eat if caught by any of them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that the game shot by his bow would be permissible to eat on condition that he must mention the name of Allah, the Exalted, when he releases the arrow from the bow.

Likewise, it would be permissible to eat the game caught by the trained hound if the name of Allah was mentioned when releasing it. However, it would not be permissible to eat the game caught by the untrained hound, unless the game was found alive and slaughtered in an approved manner.