1/75. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 186 — The Dead Kid and the Value of Things
Not Performing Wudu' From Touching A Carcass
Dead Kid in the Market Hadith: A Lesson on Value
Sunan Abi Dawud : 186
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 186
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ بِلاَلٍ - عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ بِالسُّوقِ دَاخِلاً مِنْ بَعْضِ الْعَالِيَةِ وَالنَّاسُ كَنَفَتَيْهِ فَمَرَّ بِجَدْىٍ أَسَكَّ مَيِّتٍ فَتَنَاوَلَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنَّ هَذَا لَهُ " . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ .
Jabir Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed by the market when on his return from one of the villages of 'Aliyah. People accompanied him from both sides. One the way he found a dead kid with both its ears joined together. He caught hold of it by its ear. He then said: Which of you likes to take it ? The narrator transmitted the tradition in full.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 186In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 186English translation : Book 1, Hadith 186
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 186
This hadith mentions the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم passing through the market while people were on both sides of him. He found a dead kid whose ears were joined together, held it by the ear, and asked, “Which of you likes to take it?” The provided text says the narrator transmitted the tradition in full, but the full wording is not included here. So the safest explanation is to stay with what is present: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used a real object in front of the people to make them think about value and desire. For searches like dead goat hadith or dead kid market hadith, this report is often recognized by that scene. The text shows a direct teaching moment in a public place.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used everyday scenes to teach people.
- The question made listeners think before receiving the full lesson.
- The report takes place in a market, where people often think about value.
- The provided text is abridged, so the explanation should not overstate details.
