72/14. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5497 — Domestic Donkey Meat at Khaibar
The utensils of Magians and (eating) dead flesh
Domestic Donkey Meat Hadith: The Khaibar Cooking Pots
Sahih Bukhari : 5497
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5497
حَدَّثَنَا الْمَكِّيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الأَكْوَعِ، قَالَ لَمَّا أَمْسَوْا يَوْمَ فَتَحُوا خَيْبَرَ أَوْقَدُوا النِّيرَانَ، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " عَلَى مَا أَوْقَدْتُمْ هَذِهِ النِّيرَانَ ". قَالُوا لُحُومِ الْحُمُرِ الإِنْسِيَّةِ. قَالَ " أَهْرِيقُوا مَا فِيهَا، وَاكْسِرُوا قُدُورَهَا ". فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَقَالَ نُهَرِيقُ مَا فِيهَا وَنَغْسِلُهَا. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَوْ ذَاكَ ".
Salama bin Al-Aqwa Narrated from:
In the evening of the day of the conquest of Khaibar, the army made fires (for cooking). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "For what have you made these fires?" They said, "For cooking the meat of domestic donkeys." He said, "Throw away what is in the cooking pots and break the pots." A man from the people got up and said, "Shall we throw the contents of the cooking pots and then wash the pots (instead of breaking them)?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes, you can do either.'
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5497In-book reference : Book 72, Hadith 23USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 67, Hadith 405
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5497
This domestic donkey meat hadith takes place on the evening of the day Khaibar was opened. The army had lit fires, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked what they were for. They said the fires were for cooking the meat of domestic donkeys. He ordered them to throw away what was in the pots and break the pots. When a man asked whether they could throw away the contents and wash the pots instead, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said they could do that. The hadith is clear about the meat in those pots and about cleaning the utensils after it. For searches like Khaibar donkey meat hadith, the teaching should stay close to the report: discard the contents, and breaking or washing the pots was allowed.
What we learn from this hadith
- The meat being cooked was domestic donkey meat.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered the contents of the pots to be thrown away.
- Washing the pots was allowed instead of breaking them.
- The companions asked for guidance before choosing the easier option.
