Home Hadith Hadith 1755
We were in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) at a place called Al-Qaha (which is at a distance of three
stages of journey from Medina). Abu Qatada narrated through another group of narrators: We were in
the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) at a place called Al-Qaha and some of us had assumed Ihram while the
others had not. I noticed that some of my companions were watching something, so I looked up and
saw an onager. (I rode my horse and took the spear and whip) but my whip fell down (and I asked
them to pick it up for me) but they said, "We will not help you by any means as we are in a state of
Ihram." So, I picked up the whip myself and attacked the onager from behind a hillock and
slaughtered it and brought it to my companions. Some of them said, "Eat it." While some others said,
"Do not eat it." So, I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) who was ahead of us and asked him about it, He replied, "Eat
it as it is Halal (i.e. it is legal to eat it).
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 28, Hadith 3
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That his father said "We proceeded with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the year of Al-Hudaibiya and his companions
assumed Ihram but I did not. We were informed that some enemies were at Ghaiqa and so we went on
towards them. My companions saw an onager and some of them started laughing among themselves. I
looked and saw it. I chased it with my horse and stabbed and caught it. I wanted some help from my
companions but they refused. (I slaughtered it all alone). We all ate from it (i.e. its meat). Then I
followed Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) lest we should be left behind. At times I urged my horse to run at a galloping
speed and at other times at an ordinary slow speed. On the way I met a man from the tribe of Bani
Ghifar at midnight. I asked him where he had left Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . The man replied that he had left
the Prophet (ﷺ) at a place called Ta'hun and he had the intention of having the midday rest at As-Suqya.
So, I followed Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) till I reached him and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have been sent by my
companions who send you their greetings and compliments and ask for Allah's Mercy and Blessings
upon you. They were afraid lest the enemy might intervene between you and them; so please wait for
them." So he did. Then I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We have hunted an onager and have some of it (i.e.
its meat) left over." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) told his companions to eat the meat although all of them were in a
state of Ihram."
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That his father had told him that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) set out for Hajj and so did his companions. He sent a
batch of his companions by another route and Abu Qatada was one of them. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to them,
"Proceed along the seashore till we meet all together." So, they took the route of the seashore, and
when they started all of them assumed Ihram except Abu Qatada. While they were proceeding on, his
companions saw a group of onagers. Abu Qatada chased the onagers and attacked and wounded a sheonager.
They got down and ate some of its meat and said to each other: "How do we eat the meat of
the game while we are in a state of Ihram?" So, we (they) carried the rest of the she-onager's meat, and
when they met Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) they asked, saying, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We assumed Ihram with the
exception of Abu Qatada and we saw (a group) of onagers. Abu Qatada attacked them and wounded a
she-onager from them. Then we got down and ate from its meat. Later, we said, (to each other), 'How
do we eat the meat of the game and we are in a state of Ihram?' So, we carried the rest of its meat. The
Prophet asked, "Did anyone of you order Abu Qatada to attack it or point at it?" They replied in the
negative. He said, "Then eat what is left of its meat."