Author: Inayatullah Madani (Hafizahullah)
"Buffalo is a type of cow."
[Al-Ilm bi Fawa’id Muslim, 1/326]
② Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow, Bakhati camels are a type of camel, and rams and goats are of the same genus."
[Al-Kafi fi Fiqh Al-Imam Ahmad, 1/390]
③ Allama Majd Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) remarked:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow."
[Al-Harfi fi Al-Fiqh Ala Madhhab Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, 1/215]
④ Allama Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Zarkashi said:
"Buffaloes are the same as other cows."
[Sharh Al-Zarkashi Ala Mukhtasar Al-Kharqi, 2/394]
⑤ Allama Mansoor Al-Buhuti stated:
"The meat of cows and buffaloes belongs to the same category."
[Al-Rawd Al-Murabba’ Sharh Zad Al-Mustaqni, pg. 342]
⑥ Ibn Ashur (رحمه الله) noted:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow with humps, making them closer to camels. They are found in Persia and entered Arab lands."
[Al-Tahrir wal-Tanwir, 8/129]
⑦ Allama Abdul Baqi Al-Zurqani (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes are the plural of ‘jamus’ and are a type of cow."
[Sharh Al-Zurqani Ala Al-Muwatta, 2/171]
⑧ Badr Al-Din Al-Ayni said:
"Buffaloes and cows are the same because buffaloes are a type of cow, and the texts that mention cows include buffaloes."
[Manhaj Al-Suluk fi Sharh Tuhfat Al-Muluk, pg. 227]
⑨ Allama Burhan Al-Din Al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) said:
"Cows are a genus, and buffaloes are a type within that genus."
[Al-Muhit Al-Burhani fi Al-Fiqh Al-Numani, 4/284]
⑩ Imam Ibn Al-Mahdi, Sufyan Al-Thawri, and Imam Malik stated:
"Buffaloes are part of the cattle category."
[Al-Mudawwanah, 1/355]
⑪ Allama Muhammad bin Muhammad Al-Burqi (رحمه الله) wrote:
"Buffaloes are included in the category of cows because they share the same genus."
[Al-Inayah Sharh Al-Hidayah, 9/517]
⑫ Allama Fakhr Al-Din Al-Zayla’i (رحمه الله) said:
"Buffaloes are truly cows as they belong to the same type, and thus the texts that refer to cows include buffaloes."
[Tabyin Al-Haqaiq Sharh Kanz Al-Daqaiq, 1/263]
⑬ Badr Al-Din Al-Ayni (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes and cows are equal in rulings because the term ‘cow’ includes both."
[Al-Binayah Sharh Al-Hidayah, 3/324-329]
⑭ Ibn Najim Al-Masri (رحمه الله) said:
"Buffaloes are part of the cattle category because they are a type of cow."
[Al-Bahr Al-Raiq, 2/232]
⑮ Allama Abdul Ghani Al-Maydani wrote:
"Buffaloes and cows are treated the same because they belong to the same genus."
[Al-Lubab fi Sharh Al-Kitab, 1/142]
⑯ Allama Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Kharshi (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes are included in the cattle category."
[Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil, 3/16]
⑰ Allama Muhammad Ahmad Al-Dasuqi (رحمه الله) noted:
"Buffaloes fall under the category of cows."
[Al-Sharh Al-Kabir, 2/107]
⑱ Allama Ahmad Al-Sawi (رحمه الله) said:
"Buffalo is a type of cow."
[Bulghat Al-Salik, 1/598]
⑲ Allama Abdul Baqi Al-Zurqani said:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow and are included in its category."
[Sharh Al-Zurqani Ala Mukhtasar Khalil, 3/25]
⑳ Imam Al-Nawawi (رحمه الله) stated:
"Cows are a genus with two types: buffaloes and Arabi (Arabian cows)."
[Al-Majmu’ Sharh Al-Muhadhdhab, 5/426]
Allah knows best.
Introduction
Islamic scholars in the fields of Fiqh, Hadith, and Tafsir have extensively discussed and confirmed that buffaloes are classified as a type of cow (bovine). The following is a collection of scholarly statements that provide evidence of this consensus.Statements of Scholars in Fiqh, Hadith, and Tafsir
① Allama Al-Mazari (رحمه الله) said:"Buffalo is a type of cow."
[Al-Ilm bi Fawa’id Muslim, 1/326]
② Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow, Bakhati camels are a type of camel, and rams and goats are of the same genus."
[Al-Kafi fi Fiqh Al-Imam Ahmad, 1/390]
③ Allama Majd Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) remarked:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow."
[Al-Harfi fi Al-Fiqh Ala Madhhab Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, 1/215]
④ Allama Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Zarkashi said:
"Buffaloes are the same as other cows."
[Sharh Al-Zarkashi Ala Mukhtasar Al-Kharqi, 2/394]
⑤ Allama Mansoor Al-Buhuti stated:
"The meat of cows and buffaloes belongs to the same category."
[Al-Rawd Al-Murabba’ Sharh Zad Al-Mustaqni, pg. 342]
⑥ Ibn Ashur (رحمه الله) noted:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow with humps, making them closer to camels. They are found in Persia and entered Arab lands."
[Al-Tahrir wal-Tanwir, 8/129]
⑦ Allama Abdul Baqi Al-Zurqani (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes are the plural of ‘jamus’ and are a type of cow."
[Sharh Al-Zurqani Ala Al-Muwatta, 2/171]
⑧ Badr Al-Din Al-Ayni said:
"Buffaloes and cows are the same because buffaloes are a type of cow, and the texts that mention cows include buffaloes."
[Manhaj Al-Suluk fi Sharh Tuhfat Al-Muluk, pg. 227]
⑨ Allama Burhan Al-Din Al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) said:
"Cows are a genus, and buffaloes are a type within that genus."
[Al-Muhit Al-Burhani fi Al-Fiqh Al-Numani, 4/284]
⑩ Imam Ibn Al-Mahdi, Sufyan Al-Thawri, and Imam Malik stated:
"Buffaloes are part of the cattle category."
[Al-Mudawwanah, 1/355]
⑪ Allama Muhammad bin Muhammad Al-Burqi (رحمه الله) wrote:
"Buffaloes are included in the category of cows because they share the same genus."
[Al-Inayah Sharh Al-Hidayah, 9/517]
⑫ Allama Fakhr Al-Din Al-Zayla’i (رحمه الله) said:
"Buffaloes are truly cows as they belong to the same type, and thus the texts that refer to cows include buffaloes."
[Tabyin Al-Haqaiq Sharh Kanz Al-Daqaiq, 1/263]
⑬ Badr Al-Din Al-Ayni (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes and cows are equal in rulings because the term ‘cow’ includes both."
[Al-Binayah Sharh Al-Hidayah, 3/324-329]
⑭ Ibn Najim Al-Masri (رحمه الله) said:
"Buffaloes are part of the cattle category because they are a type of cow."
[Al-Bahr Al-Raiq, 2/232]
⑮ Allama Abdul Ghani Al-Maydani wrote:
"Buffaloes and cows are treated the same because they belong to the same genus."
[Al-Lubab fi Sharh Al-Kitab, 1/142]
⑯ Allama Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Kharshi (رحمه الله) stated:
"Buffaloes are included in the cattle category."
[Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil, 3/16]
⑰ Allama Muhammad Ahmad Al-Dasuqi (رحمه الله) noted:
"Buffaloes fall under the category of cows."
[Al-Sharh Al-Kabir, 2/107]
⑱ Allama Ahmad Al-Sawi (رحمه الله) said:
"Buffalo is a type of cow."
[Bulghat Al-Salik, 1/598]
⑲ Allama Abdul Baqi Al-Zurqani said:
"Buffaloes are a type of cow and are included in its category."
[Sharh Al-Zurqani Ala Mukhtasar Khalil, 3/25]
⑳ Imam Al-Nawawi (رحمه الله) stated:
"Cows are a genus with two types: buffaloes and Arabi (Arabian cows)."
[Al-Majmu’ Sharh Al-Muhadhdhab, 5/426]
Conclusion
The extensive testimonies of scholars across different eras and schools of thought establish a clear consensus: buffaloes are a type of cow and are treated equally in all related Islamic rulings. This classification impacts various matters, such as zakat and sacrifice, where buffaloes are grouped with cows.Allah knows best.