72/30. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5531 — Using the Hide of a Dead Sheep
The skin of dead animals
Dead Animal Hide Hadith: Only Eating It Is Prohibited
Sahih Bukhari : 5531
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5531
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ بِشَاةٍ مَيِّتَةٍ فَقَالَ " هَلاَّ اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِإِهَابِهَا ". قَالُوا إِنَّهَا مَيِّتَةٌ. قَالَ " إِنَّمَا حَرُمَ أَكْلُهَا ".
`Abdullah bin `Abbas Narrated from:
Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) passed by a dead sheep and said (to the people), "Why don't you use its hide?" They said, "But it is dead," He said, "Only eating it, is prohibited."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5531In-book reference : Book 72, Hadith 56USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 67, Hadith 439
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5531
This Hadith teaches a careful difference between eating a dead animal and using its hide. Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) passed by a dead sheep and asked why the people did not use its hide. When they said it was dead, he replied that only eating it was prohibited. For searches like “dead animal hide hadith” and “only eating it is prohibited,” this narration gives a simple rule from the text: the problem mentioned here is eating the dead animal, not benefiting from its hide. The Hadith does not discuss every possible use, every animal, or every method of cleaning. It simply shows that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) corrected the assumption that nothing at all could be used from that dead sheep.
What we learn from this hadith
- Eating the dead animal is described as prohibited.
- The hide of the dead sheep was mentioned as something that could be used.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) corrected a mistaken assumption with a clear answer.
- The ruling should be explained within the limits of the wording.
