As a matter of Principle:

Ahadith and/or separate incidents and individual reports are not a source of any law because of certain inherent limitations with their nature of transmission. Therefore, they are to be understood in the light of Quran and Sunnah. To understand Ghamidi Sahab’s take on how to approach hadith corpus from an epistemological stand-point, you’re requested to please go through all the resources provided in the following response or at the very least, go through the text and videos provided under the heading “placement of Hadith in the overall framework of religion“:

Discussion 66135 • Reply 66162

Secondly, all such narrations which appear to give sweeping statements based on isolated actions always have implied qualifications put in by Quran and Sunnah. Such ahadith (Akhbar-i-Ahad) usually relate to application matters and their content and intensity may had varied from situation to situation and from person to person, as deemed fit by the Prophet (sws) in that specific situation. For example, when He wanted someone to be encouraged to do Zikr, He must’ve given isolated glad tidings while knowing that the same person was very punctual w.r.t other obligatory rituals of religion and hence there was no need to mention such other compulsory requirements and same is applied to where warning of Hell is mentioned or exclusion from Iman is mentioned based on isolated actions. Such glad tidings or warnings are given to emphasize a certain point subject to the framework already provided in Quran and Sunnah – specific to that particular situation which required emphasis on that one particular point at that time.

Following comments of Ghamidi Sahab shed light on a similar matter:

Discussion 49283

Lastly, in matters of general advice involving a social issue or some medicinal advice (commonly called ‘Tibb-e-Nabwi’) that we find in ahadith, we need to keep in mind that in addition to being a Prophet, our Prophet had other roles in the society as well i.e. being an elder of the society who gets influenced by the medicine and culture of his time and gives advice to others in his capacity as an elder and not in his capacity as a Prophet. Therefore, Prophet’s role in religious capacity and his role as an elder of the society always need to be separated while studying Hadith Corpus. Hence all ahadith need to be studied separately whether they are said by the Prophet (SWS) in His capacity as Prophet or in his capacity as an elder of the society, with advices ranging from medicinal to cultural domains of His time.

Following thread sheds further light on this matter:

Discussion 59119

Comments on this specific hadith:

As far as Dietary prohibitions are concerned, they work on the principle of Taiyyabaat and Khabaais (Quran 7:157 and 2:172-173). In another place, Quran has explained Taiyyabaat with word ‘Bahimatul-Anam’ (Quran 5:1, 22:34 and 22:28), meaning the cattle specie, which makes the differentiation more clear i.e. it is the ‘Beastly (Darindagi)‘ and ‘Non-Beastly‘ nature which are the most distinguishing factors.

It is also an established Sunnah that we Muslims can sacrifice and eat any animal from the cattle specie (which includes cow as well). Historical narrations also tell us that Prophet Muhammad (sws) himself sacrificed cows and had eaten cow meat on several occasions. Please refer to [Foot Note 1] below for references.

Therefore, it is clear in the light of Quran and Sunnah that cow meat is completely Halal for Muslims to consume.

For further details on principles of Dietary prohibitions, please refer to the following thread:

Discussion 47843 • Reply 47886

As for this particular Hadith in the question, this Hadith is not credible enough in terms of historical authenticity of the sanad (chain of narrators). Please refer to [Foot Note 2] below for detail on all the narrations in this regard.

However, even if it were to be assumed reliable enough, then it must be kept in mind that this Hadith is not giving any general principle of Islam. Instead, it is either an advice of general nature (non-religious) in Prophet’s (sws) capacity as an elder of the society or it was a specific advice to a specific person or a group based on their specific issue at that specific time.

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[Foot Note 1]:

https://sunnah.com/bukhari/73/15

https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3089

https://sunnah.com/urn/230300

https://sunnah.com/muslim:1211i

https://sunnah.com/muslim:715t

https://sunnah.com/muslim:1075a

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[Foot Note 2]:

First narration is from Malika bint-e-umru al-Jafiya (مليكة بنت عمرو الجعفية) that Prophet Muhammad (sws) said:

أَلْبَانُهَا شِفَاءٌ، وَسَمْنُهَا دَوَاءٌ، وَلَحْمُهَا دَاءٌ

“Its milk is a cure (meaning cow) – and its fat is a medicine, and its meat is a disease”.

Narrated in:

Musnad ibn ul Jaad-Page 393 (Number 2683), Maraseel e Abi Daud-Page 316 (Number 450), Al-Muajjam ul Kabir by Tabrani-25/42 (Number 79), Kitab Marifat il Sahaba by Abu Naem Asbahani-6/450 (Number 7850), Tibb e Nabvi by Abu Naem Asbahani-2/592 (Number 768), Bayhaqi, Sunan al-Kubra-9/580 (Number 19572), Shaub-ul-Iman Bayhaqi-8/102 (Number 5555)

With a primary chain of narration from the path of Zuhair bin Muawiyah Abi Khaithama, on the authority of his wife, and he mentioned that she was a Sadiqa, and that she heard Malika bint Amr who mentioned this hadith to her. (This is wording of ibn ul jaad, other variants mention that Zuhair bin Muawiyah heard from a woman of his family).

This is a weak chain of narrators because:

– there lies difference of opinion whether Malika bint Amr al-Zaydiyyeh al-Sadiyya was a companion or not (sahabiya or not), and Abi Daud’s inclusion of her hadith in his book “Al-Maraseel” is evidence that he did not see the chain to be complete and that she was not a sahabiya.

Ibn-e-Hajr Asqalani wrote in Taqreeb al-Tehzeeb-753 (Number 8686) that it is said that she was a Sahabiya and it is said that she was a Tabiya from the third period.

So this also shows there lies uncertainty on this matter.

(Also see Kitab ul Isaba by Ibn-e-Hajr Asqalani-8/319 (Number 11770)) for further discussion on this matter.

– According to Sakhawi, this narration is weak because there is mention of an unknown woman (wife of Zuhair bin Muawiyah Abi Khaithama or woman of his family) in the chain of narration. Secondly, Prophet Muhammad (sws) is known to have sacrificed cows on behalf of his wives and no disease approached him. And then, Abi Daud’s inclusion of this hadith in his book “Al-Maraseel” is another illal which adds to its weakness.

(Source: Kitab ul ajuba-tal Marziya by Al-Sakhawi-1/22)

– Manawi has also called this narration to be weak after quoting the same statement of Ibn-e-hajr Asqalani as mentioned above.

(Source: Kitab Faiz ul Qadeer by Al-Manawi-2/155 (Number 1561))

– Al-Ajluni has also called it weak

(Source: Kitab Kashf ul Khafa-2/139 (Number 2038))

Second Narration is from companion of the Prophet (sws), Abdullah Ibn-e-Masud (عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه), He heard from Prophet Muhammad (SwS):

لَيْكُمْ بِأَلْبَانِ الْبَقَرِ وَسُمْنَانِهَا، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَلُحُومَهَا فَإِنَّ أَلْبَانَهَا وَسُمْنَانُهَا دَوَاءٌ وَشِفَاءٌ وَلُحُومُهَا دَاءٌ

“Beware of cow’s milk and fat, and beware of its meat, for its milk and fat is a medicine and a cure, and its meat is a disease”.

Narrated in:

Mustadrak lil Hakim-4/448 (Number 8232), Tibb e Nabvi by Abu Naem Asbahani-2/738 (Number 858)

With a primary chain of narration from Saif bin Miskin, from Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Masudi, from Al-Hasan bin Saad, from Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah bin Masud, from his father Abdullah ibn-e-Masud from Prophet Muhammad (sws).

Imam Hakim said that chain of narration of this Hadith is Sahih and it is not extracted elsewhere. But Imam Dahabi critiqued this statement and mentioned weakness of one narrator Saif with reference to what Ibn-e-Hibban said about him (mentioned below).

This narration is also weak because of following reasons:

– Ibn-e-Hibban said about one of the narrators Saif bin Miskin that He brings up things that are inverted and fabricated, and it is not appropriate to invoke him because he has contradictions and the evidence can be found in a few narrations.

(Source: Kitab-ul-Majruheen by Ibn-e-Hibban-1/347 (Number 446))

– Problem of mixing of Ahadith by one narrator Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Masudi.

(Source: Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb by Ibn-e-Hajr Asqalani-6/211 (Number 430))

– The existence of difference of opinion among scholars whether Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah bin Masud heard from his father or not.

(Source: Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb by Ibn-e-Hajr Asqalani-6/216 (Number 436))

– Imam Zarakshi said that chain of this narration is broken, and its status needs to be reconsidered, for it is in the Sahih hadith that the Prophet (sws) sacrificed cows on behalf of his wives, and no disease approached him.

(Source: Kitab ul Tazkira by Al-Zarakshi-1/148)

– Imam Sakhawi said that this narration is weak because of mixing of Ahadith by Masudi and the chain is broken.

(Source: Kitab ul ajuba-tal Marziya by Al-Sakhawi-1/23)

Third Narration is from companion of the Prophet (SWS), Abdullah Ibn-e-Abbas (ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما) from Narrator Muhammad bin Ziyyad Al-Tahan and he is a liar and a Munkir-e-Hadith.

(Source: Ibn-e-Adi in his Al-Kamil-7/300 (Number 1632))

Fourth Narration is from companion of the Prophet (SWS), Suhaib Rumi (صهيب الرومي رضي الله عنه), regarding which Ibn-e-Qaiyyam said that nothing in this chain of transmission is proven.

(Source: Kitab Zad ul Miad-4/298)

It is worth mentioning that Shiekh Albani has however categorized this hadith as Sahih.

(Source: Kitab Sahih ul Jamay Al Sagheer-1/267 (Number 1233) and 2/749-750 (Numbers 4060 and 4061))

AND

(Source: Silsila Ahadith e Sahiha-4/46 (Number 1533) and 4/582 (Number 1943))

And he also wrote that all meat of the cow is beneficial, because the family of the Prophet (sws) and his households ate beef, and the prophet (sws) sacrificed cows on behalf of his family during the last hajj; but I advise you not to eat excessively; because it is this excess consumption which is discussed in this hadith.

(Source: Silsila tul Hadi wan Nur (سلسلة الهدى والنور)

20/7-8 (Number 236)).