SECTION · 27 – EATING LIZARD MEAT
3793 – It is narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him): The aunt of Ibn ʿAbbās presented the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) with some fat, several lizards, and cheese. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) ate from the fat and the cheese, but refrained from eating the lizard out of aversion. Lizard was eaten at the table of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). If eating lizard had been forbidden, it would not have been eaten at the table of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). [435]
3794 – It is narrated from Khālid ibn al-Walīd (may Allah be pleased with him): He entered the house of Ḥaḍrat Maymūna together with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). Roasted lizard was brought. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) reached out his hand towards it. One of the women present in the house of Maymūna said, “Inform the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) about what he intends to eat.” They said, “That which you wish to take is lizard.” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) withdrew his hand. Khālid said: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, is lizard forbidden?” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No, it is not forbidden. However, it is not found in the land of my people (in Mecca). But I find it repugnant to eat it.” Khālid said: I drew the lizard towards myself and ate it while the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was looking at me. [436]
EXPLANATION
The lizard is yellow-haired. It is the size of a squirrel. It lives underground. It digs the earth, and when it sees a human, it sits up on its two hind legs; it is called the field dog. According to Imām al-Aʿẓam, eating the animal called lizard is disliked (makrūh). According to the noble Imams al-Shāfiʿī and Mālikī, it is permissible. (Maʿālim al-Sunan, vol. 5, p. 310)
3795 – It is narrated from Thābit ibn Wadiʿa (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: We were in an army in the company of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). Then we caught several lizards. I roasted one of them. I brought it to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and placed it before him. The narrator said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) took a stick in his hand and counted the lizard’s fingers with it, then said: “A group from among the Children of Israel was transformed on the earth into the form of an animal. But I do not know which animal it was.” The narrator said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) did not eat the lizard, nor did he prohibit eating it. [437]
3796 – It is narrated from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Shibl (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade eating lizard meat.