Sayyiduna Safwan bin Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) states: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Urfutah bin Nahik (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah! My family and I earn our sustenance through hunting; we get a share from it and blessing as well, but it keeps us occupied away from the remembrance of Allah and the congregational prayer. We also have need of it. So do you declare it lawful or do you declare it unlawful?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I declare it lawful, because Allah Almighty has declared it lawful. It is a good work, and Allah Almighty is most worthy of accepting an excuse. Before me there were messengers of Allah Almighty, all of whom used to hunt and go in search of game. As for the congregational prayer, when you are unable to attend it while seeking sustenance, it is enough for you that you love the congregation and its people, and that you love the remembrance of Allah and those who remember Allah." (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: After this the narrator mentioned the complete hadith; this full narration will come later in the chapter on hunting, if Allah wills.
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains a narrator, Bishr bin Numayr, and he is da'if (weak) and matruk (abandoned).
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب الصلاة / 2197
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ ضعیف
Hadith Takhrij«أخرجه المعجم الكبير للطبراني برقم: 7342»