Sunan Abu Dawud #2706
Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ كُلَيْبٍ - عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصَابَ النَّاسَ حَاجَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ وَجَهْدٌ وَأَصَابُوا غَنَمًا فَانْتَهَبُوهَا فَإِنَّ قُدُورَنَا لَتَغْلِي إِذْ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَمْشِي عَلَى قَوْسِهِ فَأَكْفَأَ قُدُورَنَا بِقَوْسِهِ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يُرَمِّلُ اللَّحْمَ بِالتُّرَابِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ النُّهْبَةَ لَيْسَتْ بِأَحَلَّ مِنَ الْمَيْتَةِ " . أَوْ " إِنَّ الْمَيْتَةَ لَيْسَتْ بِأَحَلَّ مِنَ النُّهْبَةِ " . الشَّكُّ مِنْ هَنَّادٍ .
Kulayb reported from a man of the Ansar. He said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey. The people suffered from intense need and strain. They gained booty and then plundered it. While our pots were boiling the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came walking with his bow touching the ground. He turned over our pots with his bow and smeared the meat with the soil, and said: "Plunder is more unlawful than carrion," or he said: "Carrion is more unlawful than plunder." The narrator Hannad was doubtful.
Narrated by Narrated A man of the Ansar:
Context
In this hadith, a group of companions traveling with the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) faced severe hardship and resorted to plundering livestock they found. The Prophet (ﷺ) intervened, emphasizing that plunder is as unlawful as consuming carrion. This incident illustrates the ethical standards expected of Muslims, even in dire situations, and the importance of lawful conduct.
Modern Application
This principle can be applied today by reminding individuals to maintain ethical standards in challenging circumstances. It highlights the need for integrity and respect for others' rights, even when faced with temptation or desperation.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Good Deeds because it underscores the importance of lawful behavior and ethical conduct in all situations.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ
Yusuf (Joseph)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِى رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَٰرِقُونَ
So when he had furnished them with their supplies, he put the [gold measuring] bowl into the bag of his brother. Then an announcer called out, "O caravan, indeed you are thieves."
سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ
Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَغُلَّ ۚ وَمَن يَغْلُلْ يَأْتِ بِمَا غَلَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۚ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
It is not [attributable] to any prophet that he would act unfaithfully [in regard to war booty]. And whoever betrays, [taking unlawfully], will come with what he took on the Day of Resurrection. Then will every soul be [fully] compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged.
سُورَةُ الأَنفَالِ
Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَىْءٍۢ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُۥ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءَامَنتُم بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا يَوْمَ ٱلْفُرْقَانِ يَوْمَ ٱلْتَقَى ٱلْجَمْعَانِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ
And know that anything you obtain of war booty - then indeed, for Allah is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler, if you have believed in Allah and in that which We sent down to Our Servant on the day of criterion - the day when the two armies met. And Allah, over all things, is competent.
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ فَٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ مِنۢ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّآئِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ ۚ ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِصْرًۭا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ
And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allah [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allah and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing.
سُورَةُ الأَنۡعَامِ
Al-An'aam (The Cattle)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَقَالُوا۟ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أَنْعَٰمٌۭ وَحَرْثٌ حِجْرٌۭ لَّا يَطْعَمُهَآ إِلَّا مَن نَّشَآءُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَأَنْعَٰمٌ حُرِّمَتْ ظُهُورُهَا وَأَنْعَٰمٌۭ لَّا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا ٱفْتِرَآءً عَلَيْهِ ۚ سَيَجْزِيهِم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
And they say, "These animals and crops are forbidden; no one may eat from them except whom we will," by their claim. And there are those [camels] whose backs are forbidden [by them] and those upon which the name of Allah is not mentioned - [all of this] an invention of untruth about Him. He will punish them for what they were inventing.
Common Words
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #2706 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad). It is graded Sahih Maqtu' and narrated by Narrated A man of the Ansar:.