64/38. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4220 — Donkey Meat at Khaibar
Ghazwa of Khaibar
Hadith About Donkey Meat at Khaibar and Obedience
Sahih Bukhari : 4220
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4220
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّادٌ، عَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي أَوْفَى ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَصَابَتْنَا مَجَاعَةٌ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ، فَإِنَّ الْقُدُورَ لَتَغْلِي ـ قَالَ وَبَعْضُهَا نَضِجَتْ ـ فَجَاءَ مُنَادِي النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ تَأْكُلُوا مِنْ لُحُومِ الْحُمُرِ شَيْئًا وَأَهْرِيقُوهَا. قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي أَوْفَى فَتَحَدَّثْنَا أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا نَهَى عَنْهَا لأَنَّهَا لَمْ تُخَمَّسْ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ نَهَى عَنْهَا الْبَتَّةَ، لأَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَأْكُلُ الْعَذِرَةَ.
Ibn Abi `Aufa Narrated from:
We where afflicted with severe hunger on the day of Khaibar. While the cooking pots were boiling and some of the food was well-cooked, the announcer of the Prophet (ﷺ) came to say, "Do not eat anything the donkey-meat and upset the cooking pots." We then thought that the Prophet (ﷺ) had prohibited such food because the Khumus had not been taken out of it. Some others said, "He prohibited the meat of donkeys from the point of view of principle, because donkeys used to eat dirty things."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4220In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 260USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 531
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4220
This hadith about donkey meat shows a clear moment of obedience during the day of Khaibar. The companions were very hungry, and the pots were already boiling. Some food had even become cooked. Then the announcer of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came with a firm order: do not eat any of the donkey meat and pour it away. The report also records that the companions discussed why this order was given. Some thought it was because the Khumus had not been taken from it, while others understood it as a general ban because donkeys used to eat dirty things. The safe point from the text is simple: when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave the command, the food was not to be eaten, even in hunger.
What we learn from this hadith
- Obedience to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم comes before personal need, even during hunger.
- The companions stopped using food that had already been cooked once the order reached them.
- The narration records different companion discussions about the reason without adding a final explanation beyond the text.
