42/26. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4314 — Mastigure Is Not Declared Haram
Mastigures
Mastigure Meat: Not Eaten, but Not Declared Haram
Sunan an-Nasai : 4314
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4314
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ سُئِلَ عَنِ الضَّبِّ فَقَالَ " لاَ آكُلُهُ وَلاَ أُحَرِّمُهُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah was asked about mastigures when he was on the Minbar and he said? "I do not eat them, but I do not say that they are Haram."
[1] It is a lizard which grows to be of a foot length or longer. They are not the same as the gecko for which there are orders, or encouragement, to kill. Its scientific name is Uromastyx .Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4314In-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 52English translation : Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 4319
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4314
This Hadith records a direct question about mastigures while the Messenger of Allah was on the Minbar. His answer was clear: he did not eat them, but he did not say that they were haram. The core topic is the mastigure ruling in Islam. The narration makes an important distinction between a person's choice not to eat a food and declaring that food forbidden. In this text, the Prophet's personal non-eating is stated alongside his refusal to prohibit it. The explanation should remain within that wording and avoid adding reasons that appear in other narrations. For this specific Hadith, the key lesson is that not eating something does not automatically mean it is haram. The two judgments must not be confused.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet said that he did not eat mastigure.
- He did not declare mastigure to be haram.
- Personal non-eating is not the same as religious prohibition.
- A ruling should be based on what was actually stated.
