Is the Hadith about the camel complaining to the Prophet sahih (authentic)?

Quran

Hadith

Islamic Text

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

The hadith about the camel complaining to the Prophet ﷺ is classified as: Sahih (Authentic).

Hadith
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، قَالَ: رَكِبَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَغْلَتَهُ، وَأَرْدَفَنِي خَلْفَهُ، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا تَبَرَّزَ كَانَ أَحَبَّ مَا تَبَرَّزَ فِيهِ هَدَفٌ يَسْتَتِرُ بِهِ، أَوْ حَائِشُ نَخْلٍ، فَدَخَلَ حَائِطًا لِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ نَاضِحٌ لَهُ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، حَنَّ وَذَرَفَتْ عَيْنَاهُ، فَنَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَمَسَحَ ذِفْرَاهُ وَسَرَاتَهُ، فَسَكَنَ فَقَالَ: ” مَنْ رَبُّ هَذَا الْجَمَلِ؟ ” فَجَاءَ شَابٌّ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا، فَقَالَ: ” أَلا تَتَّقِي اللهَ فِي هَذِهِ الْبَهِيمَةِ الَّتِي مَلَّكَكَ اللهُ إِيَّاهَا، فَإِنَّهُ شَكَاكَ إِلَيَّ وَزَعَمَ أَنَّكَ تُجِيعُهُ وَتُدْئِبُهُ “

‘Abd Allah bin Jafar  said “He (The Prophet ) entered a garden of a man from the Ansar (Helpers). A camel was present and when it saw the Prophet  it broke down and its eyes flowed. The Prophet  came to it and stroked it behind the head. So it became silent. He  then said, ‘Who is the owner of this camel?’ A young man from the Ansar came and said “I am.” He  said “Will you not fear Allah (Most High) concerning this animal which Allah (Most High) has given to you. It has complained to me that you starve it and over burden it.” (Ahmad 1754, Sahih).

The above Hadith has also been narrated in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, Hadith number 1745 and the Sunan of Imam Abu Dawood, Hadith number 2549.

In the Mustadrak of Imam Hakim it is Hadith number 2485, Imam Hakim said it is Sahih and Imam al-Dhahabi agreed.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (04.01.21)