72/28. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5529 — Ibn Abbas and Caution in Food Verdicts
The meat of donkeys
فِيهِ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
Ibn Abbas Donkey Meat Hadith: Caution Before Giving a Verdict
Sahih Bukhari : 5529
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5529
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ عَمْرٌو قُلْتُ لِجَابِرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنْ حُمُرِ الأَهْلِيَّةِ فَقَالَ قَدْ كَانَ يَقُولُ ذَاكَ الْحَكَمُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْغِفَارِيُّ عِنْدَنَا بِالْبَصْرَةِ، وَلَكِنْ أَبَى ذَاكَ الْبَحْرُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَقَرَأَ {قُلْ لاَ أَجِدُ فِيمَا أُوحِيَ إِلَىَّ مُحَرَّمًا}
`Amr Narrated from:
I said to Jabir bin Zaid, "The people claim that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the eating of donkey's meat." He said, "Al-Hakam bin `Amr Al-Ghifari used to say so when he was with us, but Ibn `Abbas, the great religious learned man, refused to give a final verdict and recited:--'Say: I find not in that which has been inspired to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be carrion, blood poured forth or the flesh of swine...' (6.145)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5529In-book reference : Book 72, Hadith 54USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 67, Hadith 437
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5529
This Hadith is different in tone from the nearby reports. Amr says he asked Jabir bin Zaid about the claim that Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forbade domestic donkey meat. Jabir bin Zaid mentioned that Al-Hakam bin Amr Al-Ghifari used to say that, but Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) did not give a final verdict and recited part of Qur’an 6:145. For searches such as “Ibn Abbas donkey meat hadith” or “Quran 6:145 food ruling,” the main lesson is careful speech in religious verdicts. The text does not say Ibn Abbas declared donkey meat lawful in final terms. It says he refused to give a final verdict and recited the verse. So the explanation must stay balanced and not turn this report into more than it states.
What we learn from this hadith
- Jabir bin Zaid was asked about reports on domestic donkey meat.
- Ibn Abbas is described as refusing to give a final verdict.
- He recited Qur’an 6:145 in the discussion.
- Religious rulings should be stated with care and restraint.
