25/13. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1807 — Garlic Odor and Prophetic Dislike
What Has Been Related About It Being Disliked To Eat Garlic And Onion
Hadith About Garlic Odor and Halal Food
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1807
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1807
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، أَنْبَأَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ، يَقُولُ نَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى أَبِي أَيُّوبَ وَكَانَ إِذَا أَكَلَ طَعَامًا بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِفَضْلِهِ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ يَوْمًا بِطَعَامٍ وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ مِنْهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا أَتَى أَبُو أَيُّوبَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ " فِيهِ ثُومٌ " . فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَحَرَامٌ هُوَ قَالَ " لاَ وَلَكِنِّي أَكْرَهُهُ مِنْ أَجْلِ رِيحِهِ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Jabir bin Samurah Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Was Staying With Abu Ayyub. When He Ate Some Food, He Would Send What Was Left To Him. So One Day He Sent Him Some Food But The Prophet (ﷺ) Did Not Eat From It. So Abu Ayyub Went To The Prophet (ﷺ) And Mentioned That To Him. The Prophet (ﷺ) Said: 'It Contained Garlic.' So He Said: 'O Messenger Of Allah! Is It Unlawful?' He Said: 'No, I Dislike It Because Of Its Odor.'" He Said: This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1807In-book reference : Book 25, Hadith 21English translation : Vol. 3, Book 23, Hadith 1807
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1807
This Hadith about garlic odor and halal food gives an important balanced lesson. Jabir bin Samurah narrated that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was staying with Abu Ayyub. When food was sent back and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had not eaten from it, Abu Ayyub asked about it. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said it contained garlic. Abu Ayyub asked if it was unlawful. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered no, but said that he disliked it because of its odor. This Hadith is useful because it separates two ideas. Something may be allowed, yet a person may avoid it for a clear reason. Here the reason was the smell. The text does not say garlic is haram. It shows the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explaining the reason in a simple and honest way.
What we learn from this hadith
- Garlic was not called unlawful in this narration.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم disliked it in this case because of its odor.
- A person may avoid an allowed food for a clear reason.
