41/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4242 — Tanning as Purification
The Skin Of Dead Animals (Those Not Slaughtered Or Killed Properly)
Tanning as Purification for Leather Waterskins
Sunan an-Nasai : 4242
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4242
أَخْبَرَنِي الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ مُضَرَ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا الْخَيْرِ، عَنِ ابْنِ وَعْلَةَ، أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّا نَغْزُو هَذَا الْمَغْرِبَ وَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ وَثَنٍ وَلَهُمْ قِرَبٌ يَكُونُ فِيهَا اللَّبَنُ وَالْمَاءُ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ الدِّبَاغُ طَهُورٌ . قَالَ ابْنُ وَعْلَةَ عَنْ رَأْيِكَ أَوْ شَىْءٍ سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ بَلْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Ibn Wa'lah Narrated from:
It was narrated from Ibn Wa'lah that he asked Ibn 'Abbas: "We are attacking the Maghrib, and they are people who worship idols, and they have waterskins in which they keep milk and water." Ibn 'Abbas said: "Tanning is purification." Ibn Wa'lah said: "Is this your own opinion, or something that you heard from the Messenger of Allah?" He said: "No, (I heard it) from the Messenger of Allah."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4242In-book reference : Book 41, Hadith 21English translation : Vol. 5, Book 41, Hadith 4247
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4242
This narration explains the rule of tanning through a real question about leather waterskins. Ibn Walah asked Ibn Abbas about people in the Maghrib who worshipped idols and owned skins used to hold milk and water. Ibn Abbas answered, “Tanning is purification.” Ibn Walah then asked whether this was Ibn Abbas’s own opinion or something heard from the Messenger of Allah. Ibn Abbas made it clear that he had heard it from the Messenger of Allah. The hadith therefore highlights both the purification of tanned leather and the importance of knowing the source of a religious answer. It does not discuss every possible kind of container. It addresses the waterskins mentioned in the question and identifies tanning as purification.
What we learn from this hadith
- Tanning was given as the answer to a question about leather waterskins.
- The waterskins in the question were used for milk and water.
- Ibn Abbas clearly attributed the teaching to the Messenger of Allah.
