735 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “A riding beast may be ridden in return for its upkeep when it is held in pledge, and the milk of a milch animal may be drunk in return for its upkeep when it is held in pledge. The cost of maintenance is upon the one who rides and drinks.” Reported by al-Bukhari. (1)

Vocabulary of the ḥadīth
– al-zahr: literally “back,” as opposed to “belly.” Here it refers to the back of an animal prepared for riding—camel, horse, donkey, and the like.
– laban al-darr: milk; the phrase derives from a root meaning “to flow,” i.e., the milk produced by a milch animal.
– bi-nafaqatih: “in return for its upkeep,” meaning he may ride it while bearing the cost of its fodder.
– yurkabu wa yushrabu: both verbs are in the passive voice (“may be ridden,” “may be drunk”).

Points derived from the ḥadīth
1 – The report establishes the principle of rahn: it is a lawful contract that safeguards rights and allows a debt to be recovered when collection from the debtor himself becomes impossible.
2 – It shows that living animals may be pledged, for the conditions of knowing the pledged item’s genus, description, and amount are all satisfied in livestock.
3 – If the pledged item is a riding animal, the mortgagee may ride it and load it in proportion to the upkeep he provides, while taking care to act justly.
4 – He must not ride or load the animal in a way that exhausts it, for that would harm both the animal and its owner.