حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ عَنْ مَالِکٍ عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ مَوْلَی عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ نَافِعٍ مَوْلَی أَبِي قَتَادَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ أَنَّهُ کَانَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّی إِذَا کَانَ بِبَعْضِ طَرِيقِ مَکَّةَ تَخَلَّفَ مَعَ أَصْحَابٍ لَهُ مُحْرِمِينَ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ مُحْرِمٍ فَرَأَی حِمَارًا وَحْشِيًّا فَاسْتَوَی عَلَی فَرَسِهِ قَالَ فَسَأَلَ أَصْحَابَهُ أَنْ يُنَاوِلُوهُ سَوْطَهُ فَأَبَوْا فَسَأَلَهُمْ رُمْحَهُ فَأَبَوْا فَأَخَذَهُ ثُمَّ شَدَّ عَلَی الْحِمَارِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَکَلَ مِنْهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَبَی بَعْضُهُمْ فَلَمَّا أَدْرَکُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَأَلُوهُ عَنْ ذَلِکَ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا هِيَ طُعْمَةٌ أَطْعَمَکُمُوهَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَی
سنن ابودوٗد · Hadith 1852
Abu Qatadah said that he accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he stayed behind on the way to Makkah with some of his companions who were wearing ihram, although he was not. When he saw a wild ass he mounted his horse and asked them to hand him his whip, but they refused. He then asked them to hand him his lance. When they refused, he took it, chased the while ass and killed it. Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ate it and some refused (to eat). When they met the Messenger of Allah ﷺ they asked him about it. He said that was the food that Allaah provided you for eating.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020