Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about the eating of (the flesh) of the lizard, whereupon he said: I am neither the eater of it nor its prohibitor.  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَنِ الضَّبِّ فَقَالَ لَسْتُ بِآكِلِهِ وَلاَ مُحَرِّمِهِ  

A person asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the eating of the lizard, whereupon he said. I neither eat it, nor do I prohibit it.  

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ أَكْلِ الضَّبِّ فَقَالَ لاَ آكُلُهُ وَلاَ أُحَرِّمُهُ  

I neither eat it, nor do I prohibit it.  

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ عَنْ أَكْلِ الضَّبِّ فَقَالَ لاَ آكُلُهُ وَلاَ أُحَرِّمُهُ  

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Ubaidullah with the same chain of transmitters.  

عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بِمِثْلِهِ فِي هَذَا الإِسْنَادِ  

" A lizard was brought to Messenger of Allah ﷺ but he neither ate that nor declared it unlawful." And in the hadith transmitted through Usama (the words are):" The man (inquirer) was standing in the mosque and Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting on the pulpit."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي الضَّبِّ بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ اللَّيْثِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ غَيْرَ أَنَّ حَدِيثَ أَيُّوبَ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِضَبٍّ فَلَمْ يَأْكُلْهُ وَلَمْ يُحَرِّمْهُ وَفِي حَدِيثِ أُسَامَةَ قَالَ قَامَ رَجُلٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ  

It is the flesh of the lizard. Thereupon Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) said: Eat, for it is lawful, but it is not my diet.  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ مَعَهُ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فِيهِمْ سَعْدٌ وَأُتُوا بِلَحْمِ ضَبٍّ فَنَادَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ نِسَاءِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ إِنَّهُ لَحْمُ ضَبٍّ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كُلُوا فَإِنَّهُ حَلاَلٌ وَلَكِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ طَعَامِي  

Al-Sha'bi (one of the narrators) asked me if I had heard the hadith transmitted on the authority of Hasan from the Prophet ﷺ. He said: I sat in the company if Ibn 'Umar for two years or a year and a half but I did not hear narrated from Allah's Apostle ﷺ but this one (pertaining to the flesh of the lizard) as narrated by Mu'adh.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَقَاعَدْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ سَنَتَيْنِ أَوْ سَنَةٍ وَنِصْفٍ فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْهُ رَوَى عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ غَيْرَ هَذَا قَالَ كَانَ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِيهِمْ سَعْدٌ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ مُعَاذٍ  

I and Khalid b. Walid went to the apartment of Maimuna along with Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and there was presented to him a roasted lizard. Messenger of Allah ﷺ stretched his hand towards It, whereupon some of the women who had been in the house of Maimuna said: Inform Messenger of Allah ﷺ what he intends to eat. Messenger of Allah ﷺ lifted his hand. I said: Messenger of Allah, Is it forbidden? He said: No. It is not found in the land of my people, and I feel that I have no liking for it. Khalid said: I then chewed and ate it, while, Messenger of Allah ﷺ was looking (at me).  

دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَخَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَيْتَ مَيْمُونَةَ فَأُتِيَ بِضَبٍّ مَحْنُوذٍ فَأَهْوَى إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ النِّسْوَةِ اللاَّتِي فِي بَيْتِ مَيْمُونَةَ أَخْبِرُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدَهُ فَقُلْتُ أَحَرَامٌ هُوَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ لاَ وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِأَرْضِ قَوْمِي فَأَجِدُنِي أَعَافُهُ قَالَ خَالِدٌ فَاجْتَرَرْتُهُ فَأَكَلْتُهُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنْظُرُ  

Messenger of Allah, it is a lizard. Messenger of Allah ﷺ withdrew his hand, whereupon Khalid b. Walid said: Messenger of Allah, is a lizard forbidden? There opon he said: No, but it is not found in the land of my people, and I feel that I have no liking for it. Khalid said: I then chewed and ate it, and Messenger of Allah ﷺ was looking at me and he did not forbid (me to eat it).  

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى مَيْمُونَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَهِيَ خَالَتُهُ وَخَالَةُ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا ضَبًّا مَحْنُوذًا قَدِمَتْ بِهِ أُخْتُهَا حُفَيْدَةُ بِنْتُ الْحَارِثِ مِنْ نَجْدٍ فَقَدَّمَتِ الضَّبَّ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَانَ قَلَّمَا يُقَدَّمُ إِلَيْهِ طَعَامٌ حَتَّى يُحَدَّثَ بِهِ وَيُسَمَّى لَهُ فَأَهْوَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدَهُ إِلَى الضَّبِّ فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ النِّسْوَةِ الْحُضُورِ أَخْبِرْنَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَا قَدَّمْتُنَّ لَهُ قُلْنَ هُوَ الضَّبُّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدَهُ فَقَالَ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ أَحَرَامٌ الضَّبُّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ لاَ وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِأَرْضِ قَوْمِي فَأَجِدُنِي أَعَافُهُ قَالَ خَالِدٌ فَاجْتَرَرْتُهُ فَأَكَلْتُهُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنْظُرُ فَلَمْ يَنْهَنِي  

" Ibn al-Asamm narrated it from Maimuna and he was under her care."  

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ وَهْىَ خَالَتُهُ فَقُدِّمَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَحْمُ ضَبٍّ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أُمُّ حُفَيْدٍ بِنْتُ الْحَارِثِ مِنْ نَجْدٍ وَكَانَتْ تَحْتَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ بَنِي جَعْفَرٍ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يَأْكُلُ شَيْئًا حَتَّى يَعْلَمَ مَا هُوَ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ وَزَادَ فِي آخِرِ الْحَدِيثِ وَحَدَّثَهُ ابْنُ الأَصَمِّ عَنْ مَيْمُونَةَ وَكَانَ فِي حَجْرِهَا  

While we were in the house of Maimuna there were brought to Messenger of Allah two roasted lizards. Here no mention is made of al- 'Asamm narrating from Maimuna.  

أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَنَحْنُ فِي بَيْتِ مَيْمُونَةَ بِضَبَّيْنِ مَشْوِيَّيْنِ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِهِمْ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ يَزِيدَ بْنَ الأَصَمِّ عَنْ مَيْمُونَةَ  

Ibn 'Abbas reported that there had been brought to Messenger of Allah ﷺ the flesh of a lizard and Khalid b. Walid was also present there. The rest of the hadith is the same.  

أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ فِي بَيْتِ مَيْمُونَةَ وَعِنْدَهُ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ بِلَحْمِ ضَبٍّ فَذَكَرَ بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ الزُّهْرِيِّ  

The sister of my mother Umm Hufaid presented to Messenger of Allah ﷺ clarified butter (ghee), cheese and some lizards. He ate out of the clarified butter and cheese, but left the lizard finding no liking for it. But it was eaten on the table of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Had it been forbidden (haram), it could not be eaten on the table of Messenger of Allah ﷺ.  

سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَقُولُ أَهْدَتْ خَالَتِي أُمُّ حُفَيْدٍ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَمْنًا وَأَقِطًا وَأَضُبًّا فَأَكَلَ مِنَ السَّمْنِ وَالأَقِطِ وَتَرَكَ الضَّبَّ تَقَذُّرًا وَأُكِلَ عَلَى مَائِدَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَوْ كَانَ حَرَامًا مَا أُكِلَ عَلَى مَائِدَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

A newly wedded person of Medina invited us to a wedding feast, and he served us thirteen lizards. There were those who ate it and those who abandoned it. I met Ibn 'Abbas the next day, and informed him (about this) in the presence of many persons. Some of them said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had observed: I neither eat it nor forbid (anyone) from eating it, nor declare it to be unlawful. Thereupon Ibn 'Abbas said: Sad it is what you say! Allah's Apostle ﷺ has not been sent, but (to declare in clear words) the lawful and the unlawful (things). We were once with Messenger of Allah (may peace be. upon him) as he was with Maimuna, and there were with him al-Fadl b. 'Abbas, Khalid b. Walid and some women (also) when a tray of food containing flesh was presented to him. As Allah's Apostle ﷺ was about to eat that, Maimuna said: It is the flesh of the lizard. He withdrew his hand saying: That is the flesh which I never eat; but he said to them (those who were present there): You may eat. Al-Fadl ate out of that, so did Khalid b Walid, and the women. Maimuna (however) said: I do not eat anything but that which Messenger of Allah ﷺ eats.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ آكُلُهُ وَلاَ أَنْهَى عَنْهُ وَلاَ أُحَرِّمُهُ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتُمْ مَا بُعِثَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلاَّ مُحِلاًّ وَمُحَرِّمًا إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَيْنَمَا هُوَ عِنْدَ مَيْمُونَةَ وَعِنْدَهُ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَخَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَامْرَأَةٌ أُخْرَى إِذْ قُرِّبَ إِلَيْهِمْ خِوَانٌ عَلَيْهِ لَحْمٌ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ قَالَتْ لَهُ مَيْمُونَةُ إِنَّهُ لَحْمُ ضَبٍّ فَكَفَّ يَدَهُ وَقَالَ هَذَا لَحْمٌ لَمْ آكُلْهُ قَطُّ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ كُلُوا فَأَكَلَ مِنْهُ الْفَضْلُ وَخَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَالْمَرْأَةُ وَقَالَتْ مَيْمُونَةُ لاَ آكُلُ مِنْ شَىْءٍ إِلاَّ شَىْءٌ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

I do not know; perhaps it (lizard) might (be one of those natives of) the distant past whose (forms) had beer, distorted.  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِضَبٍّ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْهُ وَقَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي لَعَلَّهُ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ الَّتِي مُسِخَتْ  

I asked Jabir about ithe eating) of the lizard, whereupon he said: Don't eat that as he (the Holy Prophet) felt disgust. He (the narrator) said that Umar b. al-Khattab reminded: Allah's Apostle ﷺ did not declare it to be unlawful. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has (made it a source) of benefit for more than one (persons). It is a common diet of the shepherds. Had it been with me, I would have eaten that.  

وَقَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمْ يُحَرِّمْهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ يَنْفَعُ بِهِ غَيْرَ وَاحِدٍ فَإِنَّمَا طَعَامُ عَامَّةِ الرِّعَاءِ مِنْهُ وَلَوْ كَانَ عِنْدِي طَعِمْتُهُ  

Messenger of Allah, we live in a land abounding in lizards, so what do you command or what verdict you give (about eating of it)? Thereupon he said: It was mentioned to me that a people from among Bani Isra'il were distorted (so there is a likelihood that those people might have been distorted in the shape of lizards). So he neither commanded (us to eat that) nor forbade (us). Abu Sa'id said: After some time Umar said: Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has made it (a source of) benefit for more than one (person), for it is the common diet of shepherds. Had it been with me, I would have eaten that. Messenger of Allah ﷺ disliked it.  

رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا بِأَرْضٍ مَضَبَّةٍ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا أَوْ فَمَا تُفْتِينَا قَالَ ذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّ أُمَّةً مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُسِخَتْ فَلَمْ يَأْمُرْ وَلَمْ يَنْهَ قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ عُمَرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ لَيَنْفَعُ بِهِ غَيْرَ وَاحِدٍ وَإِنَّهُ لَطَعَامُ عَامَّةِ هَذِهِ الرِّعَاءِ وَلَوْ كَانَ عِنْدِي لَطَعِمْتُهُ إِنَّمَا عَافَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

I live in a low land abounding in lizards, and these are the common diet of my family, but he (the Holy Prophet) did not make any reply. We said to him: Repeat it (your problem) and so he repeated it, but he did not make any reply. (It was repeated thrice ) Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ called him out at the third time saying: O man of the desert, verily Allah cursed or showed wrath to a tribe of Bani Isra'il and distorted them to beasts which move on the earth. I do not know, perhaps this (lizard) may be one of them. So I do not eat it, nor do I prohibit the eating of it.  

أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنِّي فِي غَائِطٍ مَضَبَّةٍ وَإِنَّهُ عَامَّةُ طَعَامِ أَهْلِي قَالَ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ فَقُلْنَا عَاوِدْهُ فَعَاوَدَهُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ نَادَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ فَقَالَ يَا أَعْرَابِيُّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَنَ أَوْ غَضِبَ عَلَى سِبْطٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَمَسَخَهُمْ دَوَابَّ يَدِبُّونَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلاَ أَدْرِي لَعَلَّ هَذَا مِنْهَا فَلَسْتُ آكُلُهَا وَلاَ أَنْهَى عَنْهَا