34/7. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1951a — Lizard Ruling and Prophetic Caution
The permissibility of eating the Dabb (mastigure)
Hadith About Eating Lizard: Prophetic Caution in Food Rulings
Sahih Muslim : 1951a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1951a
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا بِأَرْضٍ مَضَبَّةٍ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا أَوْ فَمَا تُفْتِينَا قَالَ " ذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّ أُمَّةً مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُسِخَتْ " . فَلَمْ يَأْمُرْ وَلَمْ يَنْهَ . قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ عُمَرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَيَنْفَعُ بِهِ غَيْرَ وَاحِدٍ وَإِنَّهُ لَطَعَامُ عَامَّةِ هَذِهِ الرِّعَاءِ وَلَوْ كَانَ عِنْدِي لَطَعِمْتُهُ إِنَّمَا عَافَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Abu Sa'id Narrated from:
A person said: Messenger of Allah, we live in a land abounding in lizards, so what do you command or what verdict you give (about eating of it)? Thereupon he said: It was mentioned to me that a people from among Bani Isra'il were distorted (so there is a likelihood that those people might have been distorted in the shape of lizards). So he neither commanded (us to eat that) nor forbade (us).Abu Sa'id said: After some time Umar said: Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has made it (a source of) benefit for more than one (person), for it is the common diet of shepherds. Had it been with me, I would have eaten that. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) disliked it.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1951aIn-book reference : Book 34, Hadith 72USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 21, Hadith 4799
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1951a
This hadith focuses on the question of eating lizard and how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered with care. A man asked because his land had many lizards, so the issue was real for his daily food. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned that he had heard about a people from Bani Isra’il being changed in form, then he did not command eating it and did not forbid it. Later, Umar explained that Allah had made the animal useful for many people and that shepherds commonly ate it. He also said he would eat it if it were with him. The key point is simple: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم personally disliked it, but this report does not state a direct prohibition.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not command eating lizard in this report.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also did not forbid it in this report.
- Personal dislike is not the same as a clear ban when the text does not state a ban.
- Food questions should be handled carefully, especially when people rely on that food.
