72/10. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5489 — Rabbit Meat and Prophetic Acceptance
What have been said about hunting
Rabbit Meat Hadith: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Accepted the Gift
Sahih Bukhari : 5489
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5489
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي هِشَامُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ أَنْفَجْنَا أَرْنَبًا بِمَرِّ الظَّهْرَانِ، فَسَعَوْا عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى لَغِبُوا، فَسَعَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى أَخَذْتُهَا، فَجِئْتُ بِهَا إِلَى أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِوَرِكِهَا وَفَخِذَيْهَا فَقَبِلَهُ.
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
We provoked a rabbit at Marr Az-Zahran till it started jumping. My companions chased it till they got tired. But I alone ran after it and caught it and brought it to Abu Talha. He sent both its legs to the Prophet who accepted them.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5489In-book reference : Book 72, Hadith 15USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 67, Hadith 397
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5489
This rabbit meat hadith is short, but it says a lot through a simple event. Anas bin Malik tells how a rabbit was provoked at Marr Az-Zahran and began to jump. His companions chased it until they became tired, while Anas kept running after it and caught it. He brought it to Abu Talha, who sent both its legs to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accepted them. The text does not give a long ruling in words; it gives an action and an acceptance. For people searching for is rabbit halal hadith or rabbit meat in Islam, the key point from this narration is the Prophet’s acceptance of the rabbit meat that was sent to him.
What we learn from this hadith
- Anas caught the rabbit after the others became tired.
- Abu Talha sent part of the rabbit to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accepted what was sent to him.
- The report teaches care in taking meaning from the actual action mentioned.
