Salafi Research Institute SRI
Sharḥ ʿUmdatul Aḥkām
Kitāb al-Aṭʿimah – The Book of Eating
Translated Abu Ubaydah
Translated, Checked & Additional Notes
Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari
The Permissibility of Eating the Dab (Mastigure)
[373] Narrated Khalid bin Al-Walid (Radi Allahu Anhu):
That he went with Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) to the house of Maimuna (Radi Allahu Anha), who was his and Ibn `Abbas’ aunt (Radi Allahu Anhum). He found with her a roasted mastigure (uromastix, Egyptian lizard, spiny tailed lizard, herbivore lizard) which her sister Hufaida bint Al-Harith had brought from Najd. Maimuna presented the mastigure before Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) who rarely started eating any (unfamiliar) food before it was described and named for him. (But that time) Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) stretched his hand towards the (meat of the) mastigure whereupon a lady from among those who were present, said, “You should inform Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) of what you have presented to him. O Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)! It is the meat of a mastigure.” (On learning that) Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) withdrew his hand from the meat of the mastigure. Khalid bin Al-Walid (Radi Allahu Anhu) said, “O Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)! Is this unlawful to eat?” Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) replied, “No, but it is not found in the land of my people, so I do not like it.” Khalid (Radi Allahu Anhu) said, “Then I pulled the mastigure (meat) towards me and ate it while Allah’s Messenger (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was looking at me.
[GRADING] – [NARRATED BY BUKHARI]
[REFERENCES]
Transmitted by
Bukhari, Book of Food, Chapter: The Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) never used to eat anything unless it was named for him so that he might know what it was, no.5389]
Muslim, Book of The Book of Hunting, Slaughter, and what may be Eaten, Chapter: The permissibility of eating the Dabb (mastigure) [no.1947]
Abu Dawud [no.3793], Nasai [7:198], Ahmad [1:255]
[RULINGS FROM THE HADITH]
1) This hadith establishes that the meat of lizard is halal. Because when the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was asked if it was haram, he said no. The other proof is that Khalid Ibn Walid (Radi Allahu Anhu) ate it in front of him (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) and he didn’t prohibit Khalid (Radi Allahu Anhu).
2) The mastigure lizard has been described with having certain physical characteristics and its meat has beneficial effects for married men. [Fath al-Bari [11:99],Nayl al-Awtar [5:193].
3) The hanafis consider it to be makruh which according to them means it is haram, Qadi Ayyadh has cited some people saying it is Haram, Imam Nawawi answers them and says there is Ijma in it being lawful and anything other than this is rejected. [Sharh Sahih Muslim [7:113-114]
2) From the good manners of the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was that he didn’t criticise food he didn’t like to eat. Rather if he liked it he ate it and if he didn’t like it he left it.
3) For additional benefits see hadith no.70 from Sharh Muwata Imam Malik by Shaikh Zubair Ali Zai SEE HERE
