Is the hadith about spleen being halal strong?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

This Hadith is classified as: Da’if / Hasan Lighayrihi (Weak / Sound)

The Hadith about spleen being halal is not strong. Although it has many narrations with slightly varying wording (Matn) and chains (Sanad), the chains are generally weak. However, some contemporary scholars (see the footnotes of Shaykh Shuayb Arnaut on Musnad Ahmad and Sunan Abi Dawood) have suggested that such hadith sufficiently strengthen each other to be considered Hasan Lighayrihi (sound).

A weak narrator

حَدَّثَنَا سُرَيْجٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” أُحِلَّتْ لَنَا مَيْتَتَانِ، وَدَمَانِ. فَأَمَّا الْمَيْتَتَانِ: فَالْحُوتُ وَالْجَرَادُ، وَأَمَّا الدَّمَانِ: فَالْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَالُ “

Ibn ‘Umar  said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Two kinds of dead animals and two kinds of blood have been permitted to us. As for the two kinds of dead meat, they are fish and locusts. And as for the two kinds of blood, they are the liver and spleen.’ (Musnad Ahmad, 5723).

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ مَيْتَتَانِ وَدَمَانِ، فَأَمَّا الْمَيْتَتَانِ، فَالْحُوتُ وَالْجَرَادُ، وَأَمَّا الدَّمَانِ، فَالْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَالُ»

Abdullah bin ‘Umar  narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Two kinds of dead animals and two kinds of blood have been permitted for you. As for the two kinds of dead meat, they are locusts and fish. And as for the two kinds of blood, they are the liver and spleen.’ (Ibn Maja, 3314).

Both of these narrations have Abd al-Rahman bin Zayd in the chain who is considered to be a weak narrator.

وَعبد الرَّحْمَن بن زيد بن أسلم ضَعِيف ضعفه يحيى بن معِين وَغَيره

And Abd al-Rahman bin Zayd is weak, Yahya bin Ma’een and others considered him to be a weak narrator. (Imam Badr al-Din al-Ayni, Umdatul Qari).

Multiple Chains

However, some contemporary scholars consider the Hadith to be Hasan Lighayrihi (sound) due to the various chains of narration. This claim is further strengthened by Imam Shawkani’s comment on the narrations:

رواه أحمد وابن ماجه والدارقطني وهو للدارقطني أيضًا من رواية عبد اللّه بن زيد بن أسلم عن أبيه بإسناده قال أحمد وابن المديني عبد الرحمن بن زيد ضعيف وأخوه عبد اللّه ثقة 

It was narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Maja and Dar al-Qutni. And Dar al-Qutni also narrates it from Abdullah bin Zayd bin Islam with his chain. (Imam) Ahmad and Ibn al-Madeeni both said Abd al-Rahman bin Zayd is weak but his brother Abdullah is reliable. (Nayl al-Owtaar).

حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ , نا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ , نا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ , عَنْ أَبِيهِ , عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ , عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ح نا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ , نا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَتِيقُ , نا مُطَرِّفٌ , نا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ , عَنْ أَبِيهِ , عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ , أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , قَالَ:  «أُحِلَّ لَنَا مِنَ الدَّمِ دَمَانِ وَمِنَ الْمَيْتَةِ مَيْتَتَانِ , مِنَ الْمَيْتَةِ الْحُوتُ وَالْجَرَادُ , وَمِنَ الدَّمِ الْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَالُ»

Ibn ‘Umar  narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘From blood two kinds have been permitted to us, and from dead animals and two kinds . From dead meat, fish and locusts. From blood liver and spleen.’ (Sunan Dar al-Qutni, 4732).

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (04.01.2021)