Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Hasnah. He says: I was with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on a journey. We found some lizards. So the pots (with lizard meat) began to boil. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked, "What is this?" We replied, "We have found some lizards." He, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Some people from the Children of Israel were transformed. I fear that this may be the same." The narrator says: So the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had the pots overturned, even though we were extremely hungry.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both). He says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the lizard while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was on the pulpit. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I neither eat the lizard nor do I declare it unlawful."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri, he says that a man came to the service of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: "We live in a land where there are many lizards. So what do you command me?" The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Some people from the Children of Israel were transformed into animals. I do not know into which animals they were transformed." Thus, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, neither commanded him to eat it nor forbade him from the lizard.

It is narrated from Hazrat Thabit bin Wadi’ah. He says that a lizard was brought to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, so he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "A nation was transformed." Allah knows best.

Hazrat Aswad narrates from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) who says that a lizard was presented as a gift to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), but he did not eat from it. Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: I asked, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), should I not give it to the beggars?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Feed the beggars only what you yourself eat."

The noble wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Hazrat Maymunah, narrates: She says that a lizard was given to us as a gift. I prepared it. Then two individuals from Hazrat Maymunah’s tribe came to her, so Hazrat Maymunah presented this lizard to them as a gift. During this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered while these two were eating it. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his blessed hand (on the food) and then withdrew it. At this, the morsel that was in their hands, they put it down. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said to both of them: “You eat, for you are people of Najd. You eat it. But we are people of Madinah. We feel aversion to it.”

It is narrated from Hazrat Samurah bin Jundub that he said: A Bedouin came to the service of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering a sermon. He interrupted your sermon and asked, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! What do you say about the lizard?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A group from the Children of Israel was transformed. I do not know to which animal they were transformed."

It is narrated from Hazrat Yazid bin Asam. He says: We were invited to a wedding feast in Madinah. Thirteen lizards were presented to us. Some people ate them and some did not. Then the next day I met Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and I told him about this. Many people were around Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and some of them said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I neither eat it nor forbid it, I neither declare it lawful nor unlawful." Upon this, Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: You have spoken badly. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent only as one who declares lawful and unlawful. Once, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was with Hazrat Maymunah, and with him were Hazrat Fadl bin Abbas, Hazrat Khalid bin Walid, and another woman. A tablecloth was brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on which there was meat. When he intended to eat it, Hazrat Maymunah said to him: This is lizard meat. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) withdrew his hand and said: "I will never eat this meat." And he said to the people: "You eat." So Hazrat Fadl bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), Hazrat Khalid bin Walid, and that woman ate it. And Hazrat Maymunah said: I will only eat that which you (peace and blessings be upon him) eat.

It is narrated from Hazrat Zabraqan. He says that a roasted lizard was gifted to Hazrat Shaqiq bin Salamah and I also ate from it.

It is narrated from Ibrahim. He says that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, set out on a journey. During this, the companions were overtaken by severe hunger. Then a man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he had many lizards with him. He presented those lizards as a gift to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, looked at them and said: "A group from the Children of Israel was transformed among the animals of the earth." Thus, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, neither ate them himself nor forbade others from eating them.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sensed the smell of the monitor lizard, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the people to eat it.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ziyad bin Alaqah that Hazrat Umar saw a man with a beautiful physique, so he asked him or the man told him. He said, "This physique is because of eating lizard." Upon this, Hazrat Umar said, "I like that there should be two lizards in every lizard's hole."

Hazrat Hisham narrates from his father, who says that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the lizard. He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "I neither eat it nor do I declare it unlawful."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Nazrah, he says that Hazrat Umar said: Allah Almighty gives benefit through the lizard. This is the food of common shepherds. And if it were available to me, I would also eat it.

It is narrated from Hazrat Saad bin Ma’bad, he says that Hazrat Umar saw a fat man from the tribe of Muharib during the year of famine, so he asked, “What is your food?” He replied, “Dabb (lizard).” Hazrat Umar said, “I would love that there were two lizards in every hole of the lizard.”

It is narrated from Hazrat Saeed bin Al-Musayyib that Hazrat Umar said: The lizard is more beloved to me than the chicken.

It is narrated from Hazrat Sha'bi. He says that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about the lizard. So he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "It is lawful. There is no harm in it. But I feel aversion to it."

Hazrat Abu Al-Minhāl narrates from his uncle. He says that I asked Hazrat Abu Hurairah about the lizard. He replied: I neither eat it nor do I forbid it.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sensed the smell of the lizard, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I," or he said, "We belong to a people who do not eat it." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) granted permission to the people regarding it.

Hazrat Harith narrates about Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he disliked the lizard.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdul A'la. He says that I asked Hazrat Ibn al-Hanafiyyah about the lizard. So he replied, "If you like it, then eat it."

It is narrated from Hazrat Asma bin Rabee. He says that we presented ourselves before Hazrat Umar. We were some people whose condition was very good. He states that Hazrat Umar asked: What is your food? We said: Dabb (a type of lizard). The narrator says: Upon this, Hazrat Umar said: Does it suffice you? We said: Yes! Upon this, he said: I like that with every dabb there should be another like it (i.e., another dabb).