Sunan Abu Dawud #3817
Foods (Kitab Al-At'imah)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، نَزَلَ الْحَرَّةَ وَمَعَهُ أَهْلُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ نَاقَةً لِي ضَلَّتْ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتَهَا فَأَمْسِكْهَا . فَوَجَدَهَا فَلَمْ يَجِدْ صَاحِبَهَا فَمَرِضَتْ فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ انْحَرْهَا . فَأَبَى فَنَفَقَتْ فَقَالَتِ اسْلُخْهَا حَتَّى نُقَدِّدَ شَحْمَهَا وَلَحْمَهَا وَنَأْكُلَهُ . فَقَالَ حَتَّى أَسْأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَتَاهُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ " هَلْ عِنْدَكَ غِنًى يُغْنِيكَ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَكُلُوهَا " . قَالَ فَجَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا فَأَخْبَرَهُ الْخَبَرَ فَقَالَ " هَلاَّ كُنْتَ نَحَرْتَهَا " . قَالَ اسْتَحْيَيْتُ مِنْكَ .
A man alighted at Harrah with his wife and children. A man said (to him): My she-camel has strayed; if you find it, detain it.
He found it, but did not find its owner, and it fell ill. His wife said: Slaughter it. But he refused and it died.
She said: Skin it so that we may dry its fat and flesh and then eat them.
He said: Let me ask the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So he came to him (the Prophet) and asked him. He said: Have you sufficient for your needs? He replied: No. He then said: Then eat it.
Then its owner came and he told him the story. He said: Why did you not slaughter it? He replied: I was ashamed (or afraid) of you.
Narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah:
Context
This hadith narrates a situation where a man faced a dilemma regarding a she-camel that had strayed. After consulting the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), he was given permission to consume the animal due to his lack of resources. This story highlights the importance of seeking knowledge and guidance before making decisions, as well as the Prophet's (ﷺ) understanding of people's circumstances.
Modern Application
In contemporary life, this principle encourages individuals to seek guidance and knowledge before acting, especially in situations involving ethical dilemmas or resource management. It promotes a thoughtful approach to decision-making.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Eating Etiquette and Hospitality in Islam because it addresses the proper conduct regarding food consumption and the importance of hospitality in Islamic teachings.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌۭ لَّا ذَلُولٌۭ تُثِيرُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِى ٱلْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌۭ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيهَا ۚ قَالُوا۟ ٱلْـَٰٔنَ جِئْتَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ
He said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to plow the earth nor to irrigate the field, one free from fault with no spot upon her.' " They said, "Now you have come with the truth." So they slaughtered her, but they could hardly do it.
سُورَةُ الشَّمۡسِ
Ash-Shams (The Sun)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقْيَٰهَا
And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink."
سُورَةُ هُودٍ
Hud (Hud)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَيَٰقَوْمِ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةًۭ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍۢ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌۭ قَرِيبٌۭ
And O my people, this is the she-camel of Allah - [she is] to you a sign. So let her feed upon Allah 's earth and do not touch her with harm, or you will be taken by an impending punishment."
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟ بِٱلْأَزْلَٰمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِ ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَٰمَ دِينًۭا ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍۢ لِّإِثْمٍۢ ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
سُورَةُ الأَنۡعَامِ
Al-An'aam (The Cattle)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قُل لَّآ أَجِدُ فِى مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلَىٰ طَاعِمٍۢ يَطْعَمُهُۥٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَكُونَ مَيْتَةً أَوْ دَمًۭا مَّسْفُوحًا أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنزِيرٍۢ فَإِنَّهُۥ رِجْسٌ أَوْ فِسْقًا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍۢ وَلَا عَادٍۢ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
Say, "I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
Common Words
148 total113 unique23 repeated
ٱلله7x
وما4x
لا3x
ولا3x
لكم3x
فى3x
أو3x
ناقة2x
عليكم2x
أهل2x
لغير2x
به2x
إلا2x
ما2x
على2x
ٱليوم2x
دينكم2x
فمن2x
ٱضطر2x
غير2x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #3817 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Foods (Kitab Al-At'imah). It is graded Sahih Maqtu' and narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah:.