36/31. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2053a — Garlic Is Permissible but Disliked for Odour
It is permissible to eat garlic, but the one who is going to address prominent people should refrain from eating it, and the same applies to other, similar foods
Hadith About Garlic: Food Etiquette and Odour
Sahih Muslim : 2053a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2053a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ، بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أُتِيَ بِطَعَامٍ أَكَلَ مِنْهُ وَبَعَثَ بِفَضْلِهِ إِلَىَّ وَإِنَّهُ بَعَثَ إِلَىَّ يَوْمًا بِفَضْلَةٍ لَمْ يَأْكُلْ مِنْهَا لأَنَّ فِيهَا ثُومًا فَسَأَلْتُهُ أَحَرَامٌ هُوَ قَالَ " لاَ وَلَكِنِّي أَكْرَهُهُ مِنْ أَجْلِ رِيحِهِ " . قَالَ فَإِنِّي أَكْرَهُ مَا كَرِهْتَ .
Abd Ayydb Ansari Narrated from:
When food was brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) he ate out of that, and sent the remaining part to me, and one day he sent to me the left-over; (I found that he) had not taken from it at all for it included garlic. I asked him whether that was forbidden, whereupon he said: No, but I do not like it because of its odour. He (Abu Ayyub Ansiri) said: Then I also do not like what you do not like.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2053aIn-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 230USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 23, Hadith 5097
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2053a
This Hadith about garlic gives a careful and balanced teaching. Abu Ayyub reported that when food was brought to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, he would eat from it and send the remaining part to him. One day, the food came back untouched because it contained garlic. Abu Ayyub asked if it was forbidden. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said no, but he disliked it because of its odour. This is the key point for anyone searching for eating garlic in Islam or garlic hadith. The text does not say garlic is haram. It says the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم disliked it due to smell, and Abu Ayyub chose to dislike what the Prophet disliked.
What we learn from this hadith
- Garlic is not described as forbidden in this Hadith.
- The reason given for dislike is its odour.
- Abu Ayyub showed love by caring about what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم disliked.
