Hadith 2705

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْأَحْوَصِ ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ يَعْنِي ابْنَ كُلَيْبٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ الْأَنْصَارِ ، قَالَ : خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصَابَ النَّاسَ حَاجَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ وَجَهْدٌ وَأَصَابُوا غَنَمًا فَانْتَهَبُوهَا فَإِنَّ قُدُورَنَا لَتَغْلِي ، إِذْ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَمْشِي عَلَى قَوْسِهِ فَأَكْفَأَ قُدُورَنَا بِقَوْسِهِ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يُرَمِّلُ اللَّحْمَ بِالتُّرَابِ ثُمَّ قَالَ : " إِنَّ النُّهْبَةَ لَيْسَتْ بِأَحَلَّ مِنَ الْمَيْتَةِ أَوْ إِنَّ الْمَيْتَةَ لَيْسَتْ بِأَحَلَّ مِنَ النُّهْبَةِ " ، الشَّكُّ مِنْ هَنَّادٍ .
Narrated A man of the Ansar: Kulayb reported from a man of the Ansar. He said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a journey. The people suffered from intense need and strain. They gained booty and then plundered it. While our pots were boiling the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came walking with his bow touching the ground. He turned over our pots with his bow and smeared the meat with the soil, and said: "Plunder is more unlawful than carrion, " or he said: "Carrion is more unlawful than plunder. " The narrator Hannad was doubtful.
Hadith Reference سنن ابي داود / كتاب الجهاد / 2705
Hadith Grading الألبانی: صحيح  |  زبیر علی زئی: إسناده صحيح
Hadith Takhrij « تفرد بہ أبو داود، (تحفة الأشراف: 15662) (صحیح) »
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊ Without a legitimate Shar‘i necessity, it is impermissible to take anything from the collective spoils (ghanimah).
➋ However, if there is an extreme necessity due to a jihadi need, then it is permissible to take.
➌ One must seek permission from the leader (amir) and safeguard it as is its due.
➍ And upon fulfillment of the need, it must be returned promptly.
➎ Returning it after having wasted it is a crime.
➏ And this is the same ruling for communal trusts.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 2705