Hadith: A person in a state of Ihrām eating from a game that was not hunted for him, nor did he assist in hunting it

عن أبي قَتَادَةَ الأنصاري رضي الله عنه «أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خرج حاجًّا، فخرجوا معه، فصرف طائفة منهم -فيهم أبو قَتَادَةَ- وقال: خذوا ساحِل البحر حتى نَلْتَقِيَ. فأخذوا ساحل البحر، فلما انصرفوا أحرموا كلهم، إلا أبا قَتَادَةَ فلم يُحرم، فبينما هم يسيرون إذ رأوا حُمُرَ وَحْشٍ، فحمل أبو قَتَادَةَ على الْحُمُرِ، فَعَقَرَ منْها أَتَانَاً، فنزلنا فأكلنا من لحمها، ثم قلنا: أنأكل لحم صيد، ونحن محرمون؟ فحملنا ما بقي من لحمها فأدركنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فسألناه عن ذلك؟ فقال: منكم أحد أمره أن يحمل عليها، أو أشار إليها؟ قالوا: لا، قال: فكلوا ما بقي من لحمها»، وفي رواية: «قال: هل معكم منه شيء؟ فقلت: نعم، فناولته الْعَضُدَ ، فأكل منها».
[صحيح] - [متفق عليه]

Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set out for Hajj and so did his Companions. He sent a group of them by another route, and Abu Qatādah was one of them. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Proceed along the sea-shore until we meet up." So, they took the route of the sea-shore, and when they departed, all of them entered in the state of Ihrām for Hajj except Abu Qatādah. While they were proceeding on, they saw a group of onagers. Abu Qatādah chased the onagers and wounded a she-onager. They got down and ate some of its meat and said to each other: "How do we eat the meat of the game while we are in a state of Ihrām?" So, we carried the rest of its meat, and we met the Messenger of Allah and asked him about it. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Did anyone of you order Abu Qatādah to attack it or point at it?" They replied in the negative. He said: "Then eat what is left of its meat." And in another narration: He said: "Is there any more left with you?" I said: "Yes" and I gave him its upper arm to eat and he ate from it.
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim]

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set out in the year of Hudaybiyah intending to perform ‘Umrah. Before he arrived at the designated place of Ihrām for the inhabitants of Madīnah, which is Dhu al-Hulayfah, he was informed that an enemy was coming from the direction of the sea-shore intending to fight him. So, he commanded a group of his Companions – among whom was Abu Qatādah – to take the right direction on the sea-shore route in order to avert them. They proceeded toward that direction. When they departed to meet up with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at his appointed time, they all entered in the state of Ihrām except Abu Qatādah. While they were walking they saw a group of onagers, and they hoped inside themselves that Abu Qatādah would see them since he was not in a state of Ihrām (he could hunt). When he saw them, he chased them and wounded a she-onager. So, they all ate from its meat. Then they felt some doubt concerning the permissibility of their eating from it, while they were in a state of Ihrām. So they carried what was left of its meat until they caught up with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him about it. He asked them if anyone of them ordered Abu Qatādah or helped him by pointing or hinting at it. They replied that nothing of the sort happened. So he assured their hearts by telling them that it was lawful for them, and ordered them to eat what was left thereof. He also ate from it, in order to give comfort to their hearts.