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