Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: This hadith establishes that every predatory animal with fangs, which attacks humans, is forbidden (haram). This is the position of the majority of the scholars (jumhur a’immah), and according to Imam Malik, if the animal tears apart (its prey), then it is haram, such as a lion, leopard, or hyena. If it does not tear apart, then it is considered disliked (makruh), such as a fox. The reason for this prohibition is the concern that by eating the flesh of such animals, the characteristics of the animal may develop within the human being. Therefore, eating their meat has been prohibited. The term "dhu-nab" refers to that animal which hunts with its fangs. If it does not hunt humans or other animals, nor attacks them for food, then it is not included in this ruling.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
It is narrated from Miqdam bin Ma'dikarib radi Allahu anhu, who reports from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he said:
"Beware! The carnivorous beast with fangs and the domesticated donkey are not lawful (halal)."
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-At'imah, Hadith: 3804)

(2)
Although in the narration of the aforementioned individuals, the prohibition of the domesticated donkey is not mentioned, in other narrations it is clarified that the domesticated donkey is also forbidden (haram).
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
The leaf is also included in this, it too will be unlawful.
Only that which the Lawgiver (Shari‘) has remained silent about is excused, as is mentioned in another hadith.
On this basis, ‘Ata’, Tawus, al-Zuhri, and many of the Tabi‘in have said that the milk of a donkey is lawful (halal).
Those who say it is unlawful (haram) present this argument: that milk is produced from flesh, and when eating the flesh is unlawful, then the milk will also be unlawful.
I (Waheed al-Zaman)
say that this analogy is invalid; eating human flesh is unlawful, but its milk is lawful.
(Waheedi)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The reason for the gallbladder of predatory animals being unlawful is that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade the consumption of predatory animals. The wording of the hadith applies to all parts of the predatory animal, declaring them unlawful. The gallbladder is included among these parts. From this, it follows that the milk of a donkey is also unlawful, because the consumption of donkey meat has been prohibited, and milk is derived from meat, as is mentioned in the narration of Abu Zamrah that milk comes from meat. According to the majority, the milk of a donkey is unlawful. (Fath al-Bari: 10/307)

(2)
Declaring donkey’s milk unlawful by analogy with its meat is questionable, because this is an analogy with a difference. For example, eating human flesh is unlawful, but drinking a woman’s milk is permissible. It appears that the inclination of Imam al-Zuhri rahimahullah regarding donkey’s milk is that its use is permissible, because he says that no command or prohibition has reached us regarding it. Therefore, whatever the Lawgiver (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has remained silent about is pure, as is clarified in other ahadith. On this basis, numerous Tabi‘in have declared donkey’s milk to be lawful. It should be noted that if the head of a melancholic patient is massaged with donkey’s milk, he recovers. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: By "possessing fangs" is meant such teeth with which a predatory animal or bird wounds and tears apart its prey.

Hadith Commentary:
1)
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade the eating of every predatory animal with fangs and every bird with talons.
(Sahih Muslim, Al-Sayd wa al-Dhaba’ih, Hadith: 4994 (1934))

Those predatory animals that possess fangs, meaning those that hunt with their canine teeth, such as:
lions, wolves, and leopards, etc., are forbidden (haram).

Similarly, every bird that possesses talons, meaning it catches its prey with its claws and tears it apart to eat, such as:
falcons, hawks, and vultures, etc., are also forbidden (haram). However, the hyena has been made an exception from these, even though it possesses fangs.

In reality, there are two reasons for the prohibition of every predatory animal:
One is the possession of fangs, and the other is being aggressive (predatory).
The characteristic of predation is more significant than merely having fangs, because animals possessing both characteristics, when eaten, impart the predatory nature.

The hyena does possess fangs, but it does not have the characteristic of predation; therefore, it has been declared lawful (halal). Thus, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam considered it as game, as is narrated from Jabir radi Allahu anhu.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-At’imah, Hadith: 3801) (For further details, see:
Sunan Abi Dawud (Urdu)
Benefits and Issues of Hadith Number: 3801, Darussalam Edition)

Explanation:
1:
From this hadith, it is understood that animals which hunt and tear apart with their teeth (i.e., canines), such as the lion, leopard, wolf, elephant, and monkey, etc., all of these are forbidden (haram). Likewise, if these animals hunt and the prey dies as a result, eating such prey is also not permissible.

Urdu marginal note:
By "domestic donkeys" are meant those donkeys which people keep in their homes. The specification of "domestic" is because the wild donkey is not unlawful, as will be mentioned in the following chapter.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
“Kuchli” refers to the sharp canine tooth.
In humans, this tooth is located after the four front teeth and before the molars—one on the right side and one on the left, both on the upper and lower jaws.
Herbivorous animals do not have this tooth.

➋
In predatory animals, this tooth is noticeably larger and longer than the other teeth, as seen in dogs, cats, etc.

➌
The presence of these teeth (canines) is an indication that the animal belongs to the group of predators, even if it does not actually hunt or does so very rarely.

➍
It is possible that, despite a hadith being authentic, an Imam may not be aware of it; in such a case, it is permissible for him to exercise ijtihad (independent juristic reasoning).
If it later becomes known that this ijtihad was not correct, the Imam cannot be held at fault; however, it will not be permissible for those who come after to act upon this ijtihad.

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[و اخرجه البخاري 5530، و مسلم 1932/14، من حديث مالك به]

Jurisprudential Understanding
➊ From this hadith, it is understood that the dog, cat, lion, leopard, wolf, hyena, scorpion, fox, monkey, and all predatory animals are forbidden. Here, the prohibition is one of impermissibility (tahrim), as is established from the narration of Yahya ibn Yahya and the hadith of our master Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu. See: [ح113]
➋ Regarding the hadith of our master Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, Imam Malik states «وهو الامر عندنا» and this is the practice among us. [المؤطآ 496/2] Also see: the upcoming hadith [113]
➌ According to this hadith, the narration permitting the consumption of the hyena (lagarbhaga, badger) is abrogated.
➍ In one narration it is mentioned that «نَهَى رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ جُلُوْدِ السِّبَاعِ أَنْ تُفْرَشَ» “The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade the spreading of the skins of predatory animals.” [السنن الكبريٰ للبيهقي 1/21 وسنده حسن]
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade wearing the skins of predatory animals and riding upon them. [سنن ابي داؤد : 4131 مطولاً وسنده حسن]
From this, it is understood that the statement of some people that “the skin of a dog becomes pure through tanning, and it is permissible to make prayer mats and buckets from it” is incorrect, and this statement is rejected due to its opposition to this hadith.
➎ The elephant is also forbidden due to being dhu-nab (possessor of fangs), as has already been mentioned under the hadith [52]
➏ The hadith is an explanation, clarification, and exegesis of the Qur’an.
➐ It is incorrect to present a general proof in opposition to a specific proof.
➑ The specification of a general (text) with a proof is permissible.
➒ The hadith is a proof (hujjah).
➓ Whoever denies the hadith is a denier of hadith (munkir al-hadith), even if he calls himself Ahl al-Qur’an or a staunch Muslim, etc.

Benefit:
The meaning of "naab" is "canine"—the tooth adjacent to the four front teeth; these are on both sides, plural: aniyaab and maynoob. (Al-Qamus Al-Waheed: 1731)
The meaning of "as-siba‘" is "predator"—a beast that tears apart and eats, a two-toothed animal that tears apart humans and cattle, such as a lion, wolf, or leopard, etc. (Al-Qamus Al-Waheed: 740).
From this hadith, it is established that every predator that possesses canines is unlawful (haram), and in (Sahih Muslim: 1934) it is stated that every bird that hunts with its talons is also unlawful. Nowhere else can an example be found of the comprehensiveness that exists in Islam.