Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah:

A man alighted at Harrah with his wife and children. A man said (to him): My she-camel has strayed; if you find it, detain it.

He found it, but did not find its owner, and it fell ill. His wife said: Slaughter it. But he refused and it died.

She said: Skin it so that we may dry its fat and flesh and then eat them.

He said: Let me ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. So he came to him (the Prophet) and asked him. He said: Have you sufficient for your needs? He replied: No. He then said: Then eat it.

Then its owner came and he told him the story. He said: Why did you not slaughter it? He replied: I was ashamed (or afraid) of you.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، نَزَلَ الْحَرَّةَ وَمَعَهُ أَهْلُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ نَاقَةً لِي ضَلَّتْ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتَهَا فَأَمْسِكْهَا . فَوَجَدَهَا فَلَمْ يَجِدْ صَاحِبَهَا فَمَرِضَتْ فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ انْحَرْهَا . فَأَبَى فَنَفَقَتْ فَقَالَتِ اسْلُخْهَا حَتَّى نُقَدِّدَ شَحْمَهَا وَلَحْمَهَا وَنَأْكُلَهُ . فَقَالَ حَتَّى أَسْأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَتَاهُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ " هَلْ عِنْدَكَ غِنًى يُغْنِيكَ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَكُلُوهَا " . قَالَ فَجَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا فَأَخْبَرَهُ الْخَبَرَ فَقَالَ " هَلاَّ كُنْتَ نَحَرْتَهَا " . قَالَ اسْتَحْيَيْتُ مِنْكَ .