SECTION ON PURITY · 74 – THE RULING REGARDING TOUCHING A DEAD ANIMAL
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ descended from his camel and entered the marketplace amidst people. He came across a dead lamb with its ears pressed close to its head. He seized it by its ears and said, “Among you, who would like this to belong to him?” The narrator transmitted the hadith of sending (for clarification). [152]
**EXPLANATION:**
The continuation of the hadith is as follows: Who will take it for one dirham? What should we do with it? Would you like it to be yours without payment? They said, “By Allah, even if it were alive, it would not be acceptable to us, because its ears are pressed close.” How can its carcass be desired? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I swear by Allah, that in the sight of Allah, the world is less valuable than this dead lamb.”
This hadith serves as evidence that if one touches a carcass of an animal whose meat is eaten, his hand will not become impure, and it is permissible to refrain from washing it. These honorable hadiths have been transmitted to teach us what is considered impure and what is considered pure. Otherwise, washing the hand upon touching such things is better in terms of adhering to purity.
*Es-sakkah*: It means having ears pressed close, split ears, cut ears, or deaf ears.