Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan Abu Dawud, which contains 5,276 hadiths across 43 books. It is hadith number 2548 in the Book of Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad).

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

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#2547

#2548

Sunan Abu Dawud

#2549

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Sunan Abu Dawud #2548

Q: What is Sunan Abu Dawud 2548 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad)) states: "Abu Hurairah said “The Prophet (ﷺ) disapproved the shikal horses. Shikal are the horses that are white on their right hind leg and white on their left foreleg or white on their right foreleg and left…"

Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad)

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ سَلْمٍ، - هُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ - عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ ‏:‏ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَكْرَهُ الشِّكَالَ مِنَ الْخَيْلِ ‏.‏ وَالشِّكَالُ ‏:‏ يَكُونُ الْفَرَسُ فِي رِجْلِهِ الْيُمْنَى بَيَاضٌ وَفِي يَدِهِ الْيُسْرَى بَيَاضٌ، أَوْ فِي يَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَفِي رِجْلِهِ الْيُسْرَى ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ ‏:‏ أَىْ مُخَالِفٌ ‏.‏

Abu Hurairah said “The Prophet (ﷺ) disapproved the shikal horses. Shikal are the horses that are white on their right hind leg and white on their left foreleg or white on their right foreleg and left hind leg. Abu Dawud said “This means alternate legs”.

Context

This hadith conveys the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) disapproval of a specific type of horse known as shikal, which had a distinct pattern of white markings. This reflects the Prophet's attention to ethical behavior and preferences in matters of animals and aesthetics, emphasizing the significance of personal choices.

Modern Application

In modern life, this principle can extend to making ethical choices in various aspects, including consumer behavior and lifestyle decisions, encouraging individuals to consider the implications of their preferences.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethical Behavior because it highlights the importance of making conscientious choices based on personal values.

Ethical Behavior