What is the authenticity of this narration?
عن زيد بن وهب، قال: أتاهم كتاب عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه وهم في بعض المغازي: بلغني أنكم في أرض تأكلون طعاما يقال له الجبن، فانظروا ما حلاله من حرامه، وتلبسون الفراء فانظروا ذكيه من ميته
Answer
This narration is recorded in Sunan Sa’id ibn Mansur and As Sunanul Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi (rahimahullah).
(Sunan Sa’id ibn Mansur, Hadith: 2747, As Sunanul Kubra, vol. 9 pg. 320)
‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) has graded the chain authentic (jayyid).
(Al Muhaddhab of ‘Allamah Dhahabi, Hadith: 15019)
Translation
Zayd ibn Wahb (rahimahullah) says, “Once when they were on a military expedition, a letter from ‘Umar ibnul Khattab (radiyallahu ‘anhu) arrived. [It read], ‘The news has reached me that you are in such a place eating something called ‘cheese’, check whether it is halal or haram. You are also wearing fur/skin, check whether it was slaughtered or found dead [carrion].’”
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar