The Chicken Boycott (Hadith No. 2758)

Bismillah.

Hadith no. 2757 (below) is a repeat. Read it here.

Volume 4, Book 53, Number 360 :
Narrated by Marwan bin Al-Hakim and Miswar bin Makhrama (radiallaahu `anhumaa)
When the Hawazin delegation came to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) after they had embraced Islam and requested him to return their properties and war prisoners to them, Allah’s Apostle said, “To me the best talk is the truest, so you may choose either of two things; the war prisoners or the wealth, for I have delayed their distribution.” Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) had waited for them for over ten days when he returned from Ta’if. So, when those people came to know that Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was not going to return to them except one of the two things the said, “We choose our war Prisoners ‘Allah’s Apostle stood up amongst the Muslims, and after glorifying Allah as He deserved, he said, “Now then, these brothers of yours have come to us with repentance, and I see it logical that I should return their captives to them, so whoever of you likes to do that as a favor then he can do it, and whoever amongst you likes to stick to his share, let him give up his prisoners and we will compensate him from the very first Fai’ (i.e. war booty received without fight) which Allah will give us.” On that, all the people said. ‘O Allah’s Apostle! We have agreed willingly to do so (return the captives)” Then Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said to them “I do not know who amongst you has agreed to this and who has not. You should return and let your leaders inform me of your agreement.” The people returned and their leaders spoke to them, and then came to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and said, “All the people have agreed willingly to do so and have given the permission to return the war prisoners (without Compensation)” (Az-Zuhri, the sub-narrator states) This is what has been related to us about the captives of Hawazin.

Today’s Hadith:

Volume 4, Book 53, Number 361 :
Narrated by Zahdam
Once we were in the house of Abu Musa (radiallaahu `anhu) who presented a meal containing cooked chicken. A man from the tribe of Bani Taim Allah with red complexion as if he were from the Byzantine war prisoners, was present. Abu Musa (radiallaahu `anhu) invited him to share the meal but he (apologised) saying. “I saw chickens eating dirty things and so I have had a strong aversion to eating them, and have taken an oath that I will not eat chickens.” Abu Musa (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “Come along, I will tell you about this matter (i.e. how to cancel one’s oat ). I went to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) in the company of a group of Al-Ashariyin, asked him to provide us with means of conveyance. He said, ‘By Allah, I will not provide you with any means of conveyance and I have nothing to make you ride on.’ Then some camels as booty were brought to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and he asked for us saying. ‘Where are the group of Al-Ash’ariyun?’ Then he ordered that we should be given five camels with white humps. When we set out we said, ‘What have we done? We will never be blessed (with what we have been given).’ So, we returned to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and said, ‘We asked you to provide us with means of conveyance, but you took an oath that you would not provide us with any means of conveyance. Did you forget (your oath when you gave us the camels)? He replied. ‘I have not provided you with means of conveyance, but Allah has provided you with it, and by Allah, Allah willing, if ever I take an oath to do something, and later on I find that it is more beneficial to do something different, I will do the thing which is better, and give expiation for my oath.”

Read this hadith in Arabic here.

We’ve had a couple of posts based on oaths and vows before, discussing their types and rulings etc. But I wanted to do this hadith in a separate post since I, personally, can relate to this very well. About 5 years ago, I also decided not to eat chicken because of their unnatural feed and lifestyle in general. I don’t remember exactly how long I stayed away from eating it, but it was definitely more than 6-7 months. My friends had to include non-chicken dishes in their menu if I was on the guest list. Yup, it was that bad! Anyhow, when I broke my ‘vow’, I simply just ate chicken.. I did not offer any expiation for it because there was no need. When you take an oath to not do something and find out later that doing something else is more beneficial, you simply choose to do the latter, according to the above statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam).

So what was my ‘more beneficial something’? Go to town on KFC? (Ew!) Actually, it’s more to do with supporting local and organic chicken. Seriously, if you were to see the size of chickens available in the market (at least in Canada!) today, you would not be able to differentiate it from a turkey! La hawla wala quwwata illaa billah! I mean, what DO they feed them?!

Yum?

What’s your take on this?