Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2576
sahih

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Whenever a meal was brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , he would ask whether it was a gift or Sadaqa (something given in charity). If he was told that it was Sadaqa, he would tell his companions to eat it, but if it was a gift, he would hurry to share it with them.

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ طَهْمَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏إِذَا أُتِيَ بِطَعَامٍ سَأَلَ عَنْهُ أَهَدِيَّةٌ أَمْ صَدَقَةٌ فَإِنْ قِيلَ صَدَقَةٌ‏.‏ قَالَ لأَصْحَابِهِ كُلُوا‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ، وَإِنْ قِيلَ هَدِيَّةٌ‏.‏ ضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَكَلَ مَعَهُمْ ‏

‏‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 51, Hadith 11
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 750 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Prophet ﷺ was the humblest of all people, and a manifestation of his (exemplary) humility was that he ﷺaccepted gifts from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), regardless of their worth. In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “We chased a rabbit at Marr Al-Thahraan, meaning that they forced it out of its hole and chased it at Marr Al-Thahraan, a valley five miles (8 kilometers) from Makkah in the direction of Al-Madeenah. People ran after it but were exhausted. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) overpowered and caught it.He said: “I gave it to Aboo Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) who slaughtered it,” for Aboo Talhah Al-Ansaaree was his stepfather, who married his mother Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with them). Aboo Talhah sent Anas (may Allah be pleased with them) with its hip or two thighs to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, as a gift. Shu‘bah ibn Al-Hajjaaj, a sub-narrator of the hadeeth, confirmed that he sent two thighs. Shu‘bah doubted at the beginning as to whether he (may Allah be pleased with him) had gifted the rabbit’s hips or thighs to the Prophet ﷺ but then learnt with certainty that he (may Allah be pleased with him) sent him the thighs; the hips are part of the thighs. The Prophet ﷺ accepted the gift. Shu‘bah also doubted as to whether the Prophet ﷺ ate from it or not, but merely narrated that he ﷺaccepted it. When Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about it, he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "He ﷺ ate from it." Shu‘bah was certain that he ﷺ accepted the gift but doubted as to whether he ﷺ ate it or not. Anyway, whether he ﷺ ate it or merely accepted it, this hadeeth evidences that it is allowable to eat rabbit meat. It is also inferred from the hadeeth that accepting a hunted gift and the like is allowable. It is also deduced therefrom that hunting is permissible as long it does not lead to missing the prayers or other religious and worldly interests. It is also inferred that a hunted animal belongs to the one who catches and takes it, and none of the chasers has the right to any share of it..
Related hadiths2
Compare isnād across 2 related chains →