1/74. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 185 — Skinning a Goat Without Renewing Wudu
Wudu' From Touching And Washing Raw Meat
Hadith About Skinning a Goat and Praying Without New Wudu
Sunan Abi Dawud : 185
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 185
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، وَأَيُّوبُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الرَّقِّيُّ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الْحِمْصِيُّ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا هِلاَلُ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ الْجُهَنِيُّ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ اللَّيْثِيِّ، - قَالَ هِلاَلٌ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ إِلاَّ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ . وَقَالَ أَيُّوبُ وَعَمْرٌو أُرَاهُ - عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ بِغُلاَمٍ وَهُوَ يَسْلُخُ شَاةً فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " تَنَحَّ حَتَّى أُرِيَكَ فَأَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ بَيْنَ الْجِلْدِ وَاللَّحْمِ فَدَحَسَ بِهَا حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ إِلَى الإِبْطِ ثُمَّ مَضَى فَصَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ زَادَ عَمْرٌو فِي حَدِيثِهِ - يَعْنِي - لَمْ يَمَسَّ مَاءً . وَقَالَ عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ الرَّمْلِيِّ وَرَوَاهُ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ هِلاَلٍ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً لَمْ يَذْكُرَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by a boy who was skinning a goat. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Give it up until I show you. He (the Prophet) inserted his hand between the skin and the flesh until it reached the armpit. He then went away and led the people in prayer and he did not perform ablution. The version of Amr added that he did not touch water. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated though another chain of transmitters, making no mention of Abu Sa'id.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 185In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 185English translation : Book 1, Hadith 185
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 185
This hadith is about skinning a goat and praying without new wudu. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم passed by a boy who was skinning a goat and told him to leave it until he showed him. He placed his hand between the skin and the flesh until it reached the armpit. After that, he went away and led the people in prayer without performing ablution. One version adds that he did not touch water. The report is practical and visual. It shows the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم teaching by action, not only by speech. For readers searching hadith about touching meat and wudu, the point here is that this action was followed by prayer without a fresh ablution in this narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sometimes taught practical skills by showing them.
- In this report, skinning the goat was followed by prayer without new wudu.
- The added wording says he did not touch water.
- The narration should be understood only within the action it describes.
