1/20. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 36 — No Bone or Animal Dung for Cleaning
The Objects With Which It Is Prohibited To Purify Oneself
Hadith About Not Using Bone or Animal Dung for Cleaning
Sunan Abi Dawud : 36
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 36
حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُفَضَّلُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ فَضَالَةَ الْمِصْرِيَّ - عَنْ عَيَّاشِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ الْقِتْبَانِيِّ، أَنَّ شُيَيْمَ بْنَ بَيْتَانَ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ شَيْبَانَ الْقِتْبَانِيِّ، قَالَ إِنَّ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنَ مُخَلَّدٍ اسْتَعْمَلَ رُوَيْفِعَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، عَلَى أَسْفَلِ الأَرْضِ . قَالَ شَيْبَانُ فَسِرْنَا مَعَهُ مِنْ كُومِ شَرِيكٍ إِلَى عَلْقَمَاءَ أَوْ مِنْ عَلْقَمَاءَ إِلَى كُومِ شَرِيكٍ - يُرِيدُ عَلْقَامَ - فَقَالَ رُوَيْفِعٌ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُنَا فِي زَمَنِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيَأْخُذُ نِضْوَ أَخِيهِ عَلَى أَنَّ لَهُ النِّصْفَ مِمَّا يَغْنَمُ وَلَنَا النِّصْفُ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُنَا لَيَطِيرُ لَهُ النَّصْلُ وَالرِّيشُ وَلِلآخَرِ الْقَدَحُ . ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا رُوَيْفِعُ لَعَلَّ الْحَيَاةَ سَتَطُولُ بِكَ بَعْدِي فَأَخْبِرِ النَّاسَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَقَدَ لِحْيَتَهُ أَوْ تَقَلَّدَ وَتَرًا أَوِ اسْتَنْجَى بِرَجِيعِ دَابَّةٍ أَوْ عَظْمٍ فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهُ بَرِيءٌ " .
Ruwaifi' bin Thabit Narrated from:
Shayban al-Qatbani reported that Maslamah ibn Mukhallad made Ruwayfi' ibn Thabit the governor of the lower parts (of Egypt). He added: We travelled with him from Kum Sharik to Alqamah or from Alqamah to Kum Sharik (the narrator doubts) for Alqam.Ruwayfi' said: Any one of us would borrow a camel during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) from the other, on condition that he would give him half the booty, and the other half he would retain himself. Further, one of us received an arrowhead and a feather, and the other an arrow-shaft as a share from the booty. He then reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: You may live for a long time after I am gone, Ruwayfi', so, tell people that if anyone ties his beard or wears round his neck a string to ward off the evil eye, or cleanses himself with animal dung or bone, Muhammad has nothing to do with him.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 36In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 36English translation : Book 1, Hadith 36
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 36
This hadith about not using bone or animal dung for cleaning gives a strong warning. Ruwayfi’ ibn Thabit reports that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم told him he may live long after him, so he should tell people certain things. The report mentions tying the beard, wearing a string around the neck to ward off the evil eye, and cleansing oneself with animal dung or bone. For those acts, the wording says Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم has nothing to do with such a person. The part connected to purification is clear: animal dung and bone are not to be used for istinja. Searchers often look for “hadith bone and dung istinja.” The explanation should not add extra reasons unless clearly labeled from other reports. Here, the given text itself gives the prohibition.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not cleanse yourself with animal dung.
- Do not cleanse yourself with bone.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed Ruwayfi’ to pass this warning to people.
