Abu Dawud

Hadith Commentary:
A hadith which is narrated by Ghalib bin Abjar radi Allahu anhu is presented as justification regarding the permissibility of eating domestic donkeys. He said:
We were afflicted by famine.
I had nothing with which I could feed my family, except for a few donkeys.
Those too had been prohibited by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
I presented myself before him and said:
O Messenger of Allah! We are famine-stricken and I have nothing with which I can feed my family, except for a few fat donkeys, but you have prohibited the meat of domestic donkeys. So he said:
"Feed your family from those fat donkeys.
I only prohibited them because they eat the filth of the settlement."
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-At'imah, Hadith: 3809)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says regarding this that its chain is weak and its text is anomalous and contrary to authentic ahadith, therefore this hadith cannot be presented as evidence.
(Fath al-Bari: 9/811)

Hadith Commentary:
By Hazrat al-Ustadh Mawlana Abu al-Hasan Ubaidullah Sahib Shaykh al-Hadith Mubarakpuri, may his shade be prolonged: Among those who hold the permissibility of eating horse meat without dislike are Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad, as well as the two companions (Sahibayn) and Tahawi from the Hanafis.
From Imam Malik, both tanzihi (mild) and tahrimi (severe) dislike have been narrated.
From Imam Abu Hanifah, three opinions have been transmitted: tanzihi dislike, tahrimi dislike, and retraction from the statement of prohibition.
Among the Hanafis, the most authentic and preferred opinion is that of prohibition.
The evidences and responses from both sides are mentioned in detail in the commentaries of Bukhari (Fath al-Bari, ‘Ayni),
the commentary of Muwatta Imam Malik by al-Zurqani, and Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar by al-Tahawi.
After the clear and strong evidences for permissibility have come forth, turning towards the practice or custom of the Ummah is meaningless and futile.
The legal proof is the Book and the Sunnah, then consensus (ijma‘), then sound analogy (qiyas sahih). The general and primary use of the horse from the beginning has been for riding.
Therefore, its consumption as food has not become customary.
Moreover, from ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah, it is established regarding all the Companions without exception that they ate horse meat:
The Salaf (i.e., the Companions)
used to eat it (Ibn Abi Shaybah). (Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In one narration, it is stated that while residing in Madinah Tayyibah during the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), we ate horse meat.
(Irwa’ al-Ghalil by al-Albani: 8/145, no. 2493)
This means that this incident occurred after the obligation of jihad.
Those who declare it unlawful under the pretext of jihad, this narration is against their view.
Furthermore, in another narration, it is mentioned that we and the family of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ate it,
(al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 24/87, no. 232)
From this, it is understood that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was fully aware of it, to the extent that his family partook of it.
Since the general use of the horse has been for riding, its consumption as food did not become widespread.
Even though the horse is used to frighten and intimidate the enemy, nevertheless, its permissibility is beyond doubt or suspicion.
(2)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has narrated from ‘Ata’ that the predecessors used to eat its meat.
Ibn Jurayj further asked, “Even the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)?”
He replied: They too used to eat it.
(Fath al-Bari: 9/804)
Further details can be seen in Fath al-Bari.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: Eating the meat of the wild donkey (nilgai) is unanimously permissible.

Explanation:
1:
It is understood from this that the meat of the horse is lawful (halal).
The majority of scholars, both from among the early generations (salaf) and later generations (khalaf), except for a few individuals, hold its lawfulness.
Those who consider it unlawful (haram),
this hadith and other ahadith on this subject are contrary to their view.
It is also understood from this hadith that the meat of the donkey is unlawful (haram).
As for the reason for its prohibition, as mentioned in al-Bukhari, it is that it is an impure and filthy animal.

Benefits and Issues:
Benefit: Due to the knowledge and virtue of Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu, he is called (the Sea of the Ummah or the Scholar of the Ummah).
And his statement regarding donkeys was perhaps due to the fact that the hadith had not reached him with clarity.
In the Sahihayn, his statement is narrated from Shu’bi,
that I do not know whether (on the occasion of Khaybar) the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade the eating of donkey meat
so that people would not be deprived of riding animals,
or whether he declared them unlawful.
But eventually, when the hadiths regarding their prohibition reached him with clarity,
he also debated this matter with Abu Talib, and then he became firmly convinced of their prohibition.
(Fawa’id Ibn al-Qayyim)

Wild ass is called an ass only by name. It only has hooves like a donkey. Otherwise, in reality, it is a wild cow. In terms of appearance and form as well, it is like a cow. It is called a wild ass only because of its hooves. The wild cow is a beautiful animal, in fact, it is proverbial for its beauty. It is absolutely lawful (halal).

The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that the horse is a lawful (halal) animal, because the narrations regarding its permissibility are explicit and of the highest degree of authenticity. Among the Imams, only Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah holds the view of the horse’s prohibition, but his students, Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad rahimahullah, do not agree with him on this issue. Those who prohibit it have presented the excuse that they do not consider the horse to be impure, but rather, due to its being worthy of respect, they consider it prohibited, because it is used in jihad. If horses are slaughtered and eaten, there will be a shortage of horses for jihad. Another reason given by them is that, in terms of species, the horse is a companion of the donkey and the mule. In the Noble Qur’an, all three are mentioned together: ﴿وَالْخَيْلَ وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً﴾ (an-Nahl: 16:8) — their purpose has been stated as adornment and riding, not eating. Therefore, the horse should not be eaten. However, this point is questionable, because Allah, the Exalted, has mentioned the camel among the animals that are eaten, even though it is equally used for riding and carrying loads rather than as food. Therefore, the correct view is that the horse is lawful (halal). If there is a need, it can be eaten. Yes, if there is a risk of shortage for jihad, then horses should not be eaten, but nowadays, the use of horses in jihad is almost nonexistent, so that reason has also ceased to exist on the basis of which the Imam held the view of not eating it. Thus, now there is “consensus” (ijma‘) on its permissibility.

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
It is prohibited to eat the meat of a mule.

(2)
A mule is born from the mating of a donkey and a horse. The donkey is haram, and the mare is halal. From this, it is understood that if something contains both an aspect of permissibility (halal) and an aspect of prohibition (haram), then the aspect of prohibition will be given precedence, and that thing will be considered haram.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The wild donkey is also called a zebra. (For clarification, see: Benefit no. 1 of Hadith 3090.)

➋ The common donkey is called "himar ahli" (domesticated donkey). It is forbidden, as will be mentioned in the next hadith.

➌ Some scholars have declared horses to be forbidden because in the Noble Qur’an it is stated:
﴿وَالْخَيْلَ وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيْرَ لِتَرْكَبُوْهَا وَزِيْنَة﴾ (an-Nahl: 8, 16)
“And (Allah has created for you) horses, mules, and donkeys so that you may ride them and (they may be) an adornment for you.”
Here, eating is not mentioned.
However, this reasoning is not correct, because mentioning one benefit does not prove that there is no other benefit.
For further details, see: (Sunan Abu Dawood, Urdu edition, Darussalam)

Benefit:
This hadith contains the statement regarding the permissibility of eating horse meat and the prohibition of eating donkey meat. The horse is lawful (halal). Ata’ the Tabi‘i says:
“Lam yazal salafuka ya’kuloonahu” — “Your predecessors have always eaten it (horse meat).”
Ibn Jurayj says: I asked Ata’: “By your predecessors, do you mean the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum)?” He replied: “Yes.” (Musnad Ibn Abi Shaybah. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has declared its chain authentic according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs. Fath al-Bari: 9/650)