Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2223
sahih

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

Once `Umar was informed that a certain man sold alcohol. `Umar said, "May Allah curse him! Doesn't he know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'May Allah curse the Jews, for Allah had forbidden them to eat the fat of animals but they melted it and sold it."

حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي طَاوُسٌ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ بَلَغَ عُمَرَ أَنَّ فُلاَنًا بَاعَ خَمْرًا فَقَالَ قَاتَلَ اللَّهُ فُلاَنًا، أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏

‏ قَاتَلَ اللَّهُ الْيَهُودَ، حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّحُومُ فَجَمَلُوهَا فَبَاعُوهَا ‏

‏‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 34, Hadith 170
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 34, Hadith 426 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Allah, Exalted is He, deemed Khamr (i.e., intoxicants) forbidden, and the Prophet ﷺ made it clear that the prohibition of Khamr included the prohibition of selling, buying, and carrying it, and the same goes for cunning circumventions of the Laws of Islam ruling, by changing its name and the like. In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas stated that it was brought to the attention of the Caliph ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them) that a man sold Khamr, and the man was Samrah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), as recorded in Saheeh Muslim. There are three different opinions regarding how Samrah (may Allah be pleased with him) sold Khamr. First, it was said that he (may Allah be pleased with him) took it from some people who belonged to the People of the Book (i.e., Jews and Christians) as Jizyah, or obtained it as part of his share in the spoils of war or the like, and he sold it to them, believing that it was permissible. Second, it is possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) sold (grape) juice to someone who used to make Khamr for people. Grape juice or grapes may be referred to as Khamr, for they are used to manufacture it. Third, it is also possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) made grape vinegar and sold it, mistakenly believing it to be permissible. Upon knowing that, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was furious and said, "May Allah curse so-and-so,’ meaning ‘may Allah destroy him.’ He (may Allah be pleased with him) did not intend to actually invoke the curse of Allah on him, but this expression was commonly used by the Arabs for reproach. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: ‘Does not he know that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'May Allah curse the Jews; Allah, Exalted is He, had forbidden them from eating the fat of animals,’ meaning dead animals or cows and sheep; Allah, Exalted is He Says (what means): {and of the cattle and the sheep We prohibited to them their fat,} [Quran 6:146],“but they melted it and sold it.” They melted their fat and sold it to cunningly circumvent the divine command. Accordingly, they incurred the curse of Allah, Exalted is He. This is because Allah, Exalted is He, deemed Khamr ritually impure and unlawful. Therefore, it is impermissible to sell, buy, or avail oneself of its price, just like other ritually impure and unlawful objects, such as: dead animals, blood, stool, and urine. This is why the hadeeth likened the one who sells Khamr and avails himself of its price to the Jews who sold the forbidden fat and availed themselves of its price, even though it was prohibited for them to consume such fat and it was deemed ritually impure, just like Khamr and dead animals as per the laws of Islam. Therefore, those who sell Khamr and avail themselves of its price are likened to the Jews who sold fat and availed themselves of its price. It is deduced from the hadeeth that the means and ways leading to what is deemed unlawful as per the laws of Islam are declared unlawful as well. It is also inferred therefrom the that it is permissible to draw analogies between similar situations. It is also deduced that when the Laws of Islam deems something unlawful, the same ruling applies to its price. .
Related hadiths9
Compare isnād across 9 related chains →