Understanding the hadith on camel milk and urine: context, culture, and compassion of the Prophet

Understanding the hadith on camel milk and urine: context, culture, and compassion of the Prophet

By: Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi
Oxford

Question:
Maulana Mohammad Sirajuddin Nadwi from Indiana, USA, forwarded to me the following question:
Salaam Imam Saab, I hope you are doing well! I was reading this last night and I thought it was so interesting how people drank camel’s milk and urine to relieve their gastrointestinal issues. Wouldn’t you think it would cause more issues because there are more bacteria. I thought maybe you can shed some light for me inshallah.

Answer:
Wa ʿalaykum al-salām wa raḥmatullāh,
The narration you are referring to is indeed found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, in the Book of Medicine (Kitāb al-Ṭibb). Anas ibn Mālik (RA) reports that a group of people from the tribe of ʿUkl (or ʿUraina) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and, finding the climate of Madinah unsuitable for them, were directed to a herd of camels belonging to charity. The Prophet ﷺ instructed them to drink both the milk and urine of these camels. They followed this instruction, regained their health and strength, but later betrayed this trust by killing the shepherd and driving away the camels. They were eventually apprehended, and due legal punishment was carried out for their crime.

In considering this narration, it is important to draw a distinction between two types of decisions of the Prophet ﷺ:
1. Those which are part of his permanent Sunnah and binding guidance for the Ummah. These are to be followed as acts of religious obligation or devotion.
2. Those which were given in light of the circumstances of his time, the culture of the people, and the medical knowledge then available. These do not necessarily form part of the Sunnah to be emulated universally.

The instruction to drink camel’s milk and urine falls into the second category. It was a form of treatment suited to the ailment of those individuals, and also in line with the customary practices of their people. In many cultures throughout history, the use of animal products, including urine, was considered therapeutic. It is not something unique to the Arabs. In this case, the Prophet ﷺ, out of compassion for their suffering, directed them to a remedy familiar to them, and indeed, it proved effective in restoring their health.

It should also be noted that the Prophet ﷺ did not advise this as a general treatment for all illnesses, nor did he recommend it on other occasions. This suggests that it was a remedy for a specific and rare condition. While modern medical science may raise concerns about bacteria in such substances, it is also true that urine contains compounds which in certain contexts can have medicinal properties. Research in pharmacology continues to explore such possibilities.

The broader lesson is that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was a man of his time, and his compassion for people led him to provide them with guidance appropriate to their circumstances. Just as we today turn to treatments familiar to us, those people turned to treatments that were part of their cultural and medical practice. Rather than being shocked, one should appreciate the context: it was effective for that condition, it alleviated their suffering, and it reflected the Prophet’s mercy.

Finally, this narration also reminds us to respect the habits and practices of other peoples and times, just as we hope others will understand and respect our ways.

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