Some people of the Quraysh passed by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dragging one of their sheep like a donkey (in its size or for its disposal). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "Would that you took its skin." They said: "It died a natural death." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Water and Qarazh (leaves of the mimosa) purify it."
Good hadithعن العالية بنت سُبَيع قالت: كان لي غنم بأُحُدٍ، فوقَع فيها الموت، فدَخَلْتُ على ميمونة زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فذَكَرْتُ ذلك لها، فقالت لي ميمونة: لو أَخَذْتِ جُلُوَدها فَانْتَفَعْتِ بها. فقالت: َأو يَحِلُّ ذلك؟ قالت: نعم، مرَّ على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رجال من قريش يَجُرُّون شاة لهم مثل الحمار، فقال لهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «لو أخذتم إِهَابَهَا». قالوا: إنها مَيْتَة. فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «يُطَهِّرها الماء والقَرَظ».
Al-‘Āliyah bint Subay‘ reported: I had some sheep at Uhud, and they began to die. I visited Maymūnah, the Prophet's wife, and mentioned it to her. Maymūnah said to me: "It would be better if you took their skins and made use of them." I asked: "Is that lawful?" She replied: "Yes. Some people of the Quraysh passed by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dragging one of their sheep like a donkey (in its size or for its disposal). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: ‘Would that you took its skin.’ They said: ‘It died a natural death.’ The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Water and Qarazh (leaves of the mimosa) purify it.'"
Explanation
Al-‘Āliyah bint Subay‘ (may Allah have mercy on her) relates that she had some sheep that began to die from some illness or some other cause. She went and informed Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) who directed her to make use of its skin. She said: "Is it permissible to make use of its skin after its death?" Maymūnah said: "Yes, it is permissible," and then she proved her statement with a story that occurred when some men from the Quraysh passed by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dragging one of their sheep as a donkey to get rid of it, or it was similar to a donkey in its size. So the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "It would be better if you made use of it rather than throwing it away." They said: "It has died a natural death (without slaughtering)" as if they supposed that the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not aware that it had died without being slaughtered, while they knew that all parts of a dead animal are unlawful due to its impurity. The Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that tanning it with water and leaves of the mimosa plant would render this impure substance pure.
Source · Narrated by Abu Daoud - Narrated by Ahmad
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).