Question

Is it Sunnah to eat rabbits?

 

Answer

Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has recorded a narration which suggests that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) consumed rabbit meat.

1) Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says:

“We chased a rabbit at ‘Mar az Zahran. The people ran after it but got tired. I got to it, took it and brought it to Abu Talhah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) who slaughtered it and sent its haunch or thighs to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). [Shu’bah rahimahullah, one of the narrators said, “There is no doubt that it was its thighs”] Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) accepted it. I asked, ‘Did he eat some of it?’ He replied, ‘He ate some of it.’ Then he later said, ‘He accepted it.’

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 2572. Also see: Hadith: 5489, Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 1953 and Fathul Bari, Hadith: 5535)

 

2) Sayyiduna ‘Ammar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says, “We were once with Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) when we settled down at a certain place. A Bedouin gifted a rabbit to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and we ate it”

(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 24760. Declared reliable by ‘Allamah ‘Ayni rahimahullah, ‘Umdatul Qari, Hadith: 5535)

 

‘Allamah Ibn Qayyim (rahimahullah) when enlisting the meats that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) consumed, also mentions rabbit meat.

(Zadul Ma’ad, vol. 1 pg. 142. Also see Subulul Huda War Rashad, vol. 7 pg. 295/296)

 

Refer to ‘Umdatul Qari, Hadith: 2572 and 5535 for further Hadiths on this topic.

 

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

 

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

 

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

 

Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar