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