42/25. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4313 — Slaughtering Rabbits with a Sharp Stone
Rabbits
Halal Rabbit Slaughter with a Sharp-Edged Stone
Sunan an-Nasai : 4313
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4313
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ، وَدَاوُدَ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ صَفْوَانَ، قَالَ أَصَبْتُ أَرْنَبَيْنِ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ مَا أُذَكِّيهِمَا بِهِ فَذَكَّيْتُهُمَا بِمَرْوَةٍ فَسَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَمَرَنِي بِأَكْلِهِمَا .
Ibn Safwan Narrated from:
I caught two rabbits but I could not find anything with which to slaughter then, so I slaughtered them with a sharp-edged stone. I asked the Prophet about that and he commanded me to eat them
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4313In-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 51English translation : Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 4318
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4313
This Hadith tells of Ibn Safwan catching two rabbits and being unable to find the usual tool for slaughter. He used a sharp-edged stone to slaughter them, then asked the Prophet about what he had done. The Prophet commanded him to eat the rabbits. The core topic is slaughtering with a sharp stone when another tool is not available. The narration is practical and limited to a clear event: two live rabbits were caught, slaughtered with a sharp-edged stone, and then approved for eating. It does not say that any object or any method is acceptable. The relevant feature in the text is the sharp edge used for slaughter. The Hadith also shows the care of asking for guidance after facing an unusual situation.
What we learn from this hadith
- A sharp-edged stone was used when no usual slaughter tool was available.
- The rabbits were slaughtered rather than left to die.
- The Prophet commanded Ibn Safwan to eat them.
- Questions about an unusual method should be checked against guidance.
