corruption, whether in intellect, character, or other respects, those who deemed some prohibited foods or beverages lawful displayed a deficiency proportionate to the harm inherent in them. Were it not for their interpretation, they would have deserved punishment.

Moreover, Imam Ahmad and other hadith scholars surpassed others in adhering to the Sunnah by enjoining what Allah and His Messenger had enjoined to remove the harmful effects of certain permissible things. One example is camel meat: it is lawful according to the Quran, the Sunnah, and consensus, yet it contains a satanic force to which the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—referred when he said, “They are jinn created from jinn.”

He—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—also said, as narrated by Abū Dāwūd, “Anger comes from Satan, Satan was created from fire, and fire is extinguished only with water. Therefore, when any of you becomes angry, let him perform ablution.” Thus, he prescribed ablution for a condition arising from Satan. Eating camel meat engenders a satanic force that is removed by performing the ablution prescribed by the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—after eating it. This has been authentically reported from him through multiple routes, in the hadiths of Jābir ibn Samurah, al-Barā ibn Āzib, Usayd ibn al-Hudayr, and Dhū