Question:
I recently heard that the Prophet Muhammad, SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam, did not ever eat beef in his entire lifetime and that he in fact said that the meat of cows produces sickness whilst its milk is a cure/shifaa’. Is this true and, if so, what implications does this have on our consumption of Cow?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The Hadīth you refer to has been recorded in a few books such as At-Tibb An-Nabawī of Imām Asbahānī and Shu’b Al-Īmān of Imām Bayhaqī Rahimahumullah. The Hadīth is as follows:

أخبرنا أحمد في كتابه قال:، حَدَّثَنا ابن زهير قال:، حَدَّثَنا عُمَر بن الخطاب قال:، حَدَّثَنا سيف الجرمي قال، حَدَّثَنا المسعودي، عَن الحسن بن سعد، عَن عَبد الرحمن بن عبد الله بن مسعود، عَن عَبد الله بن مسعود، قال: قال رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَليْهِ وَسلَّم: عليكم بألبان البقر فإنها دواء وأسمانها فإنها شفاء وإياكم ولحومها فإن لحومها داء 

“You should hold fast to the milk of cows for it is a source of medical treatment and the [clarified] butter of cows for it is a cure. And you should avoid the meat of cows because its meat is a source of sickness.” [At-Tibb An-Nabawi][1]

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ، ثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ، ثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُكْرَمٍ، ثَنَا أَبُو النَّصْرِ، ثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، عَنِ امْرَأَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، عَنْ مُلَيْكَةَ بِنْتِ عَمْرٍو الْجُعْفِيَّةِ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ لَهَا عَائِشَةُ: عَلَيْكِ بِسَمْنِ الْبَقَرَةِ مِنَ الذّبحَةِ، وَمِنَ الْقَرْحَتَيْنِ، إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ” إِنَّ أَلْبَانَهَا أَوْ لَبَنَهَا شِفَاءٌ، وَسَمْنَهَا دَوَاءٌ، وَلَحْمَهَا أَوْ لُحُومَهَا دَاءٌ

Hazrat Aisha Radhiallahu Anha said: “Hold onto the [clarified] butter of cows (as a treatment) from dhibha and qarhatain (types of diseases). Indeed, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said: ‘The milk of cows is a cure, its [clarified] butter is a source of medical treatment, and its meat is a source of sickness.” [Shu’b Al-Iman] [2]
However, this narration has been refuted by many Muhaddithīn and its chain of narrators has been considered weak. It also conflicts many other Ahadīth of similar nature. Consider some of the sayings of the Muhaddithīn regarding the authenticity of this Hadīth:

• Imam Zarkashī Rahimahullah states:

هو منقطع وفي صحته نظر فإن في الصحيح أن المصطفى صلى الله عليه وسلم ضحى عن نسائه بالبقر وهو لا يتقرب بالداء

The Hadith’s chain of narrators is broken and there is a doubt over its authenticity because it is mentioned in a Sahih Hadith that Mustafa Salallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam sacrificed a cow for his wives, and he would not make a sacrifice of such an animal whose meat is known to cause sickness to others.[3]

• Imam Dhahabī Rahimahullah adds on to the topic as follows:

سيف وهاه ابن حبان

Ibn Hibban has considered Saif (a narrator in the chain) as weak (in the narrartion of Mudtadrak Lil-Hakim).[4]

• Allamah Sakhāwī Rahimahullah says:

و ليس في سنده من ينـظر في حاله إلا المرأة التي لم تسم فيضعف الحديث بسببها لا سيما و قد صح أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم ضحى عن نسائه بالبقر و هو لا يتقرب بالداء

There is none in its chain who requires scrutiny with regards to his grading except the unnamed woman, so the hadith is considered weak because of her. And it has been confirmed that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered sacrifice of a cow on behalf of his wives and he would not make a sacrifice of such an animal whose meat is known to cause sickness to others [5]

• Hāfiz Ibn Hajar Rahimahullah mentions:

قلت: بل سند ضعيف، والمسعودي اختلط والحديث منقطع

“The Hadiths chain of narrators is weak and Al-Masūdī (one of the narrators) had become confused (due to old age), and its chain of narrators is broken.”[6]
These were only a few reasons which regard the Hadīth to be unreliable. Furthermore, this Hadīth also seems to conflict many Ahadīth discussing the topic of meat. Consider the following:
Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Qur’an:

وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرْشًا كُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ (١٤٢)ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ مِنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ… (١٤٣)وَمِنَ الْإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ (١٤٤)

And of the grazing livestock are carriers [of burdens] and those [too] small. Eat of what Allah has provided for you and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. [They are which have been made Halal for you] eight mates – of the sheep two (male and female) and of the goats two…And of the camels two, and of the cow/cattle two.[7]
Hafiz Ibn Kathīr Rahimahullah comments upon this Āyah in his tafsīr as follows:

هذا بَيَانٌ لِجَهْلِ الْعَرَبِ قَبْلَ الْإِسْلَامِ، فِيمَا كَانُوا حَرَّمُوا مِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ… وَغَيْرَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْأَنْوَاعِ التي ابتدعوها في الأنعام والزروع والثمار… وَأَنَّهُ تَعَالَى لَمْ يُحَرِّمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَلَا شَيْئًا مِنْ أولادها، بَلْ كُلُّهَا مَخْلُوقَةٌ لِبَنِي آدَمَ أَكْلًا

This Ayah is to clarify the ignorance of the Arabs before Islam in which they had made haram upon themselves from animals…crops, and fruits…And that Allah Ta’ala has not prohibited any of them (the eight different animals) nor their offspring; rather, they were created as provision for the sons of Adam.[8]
Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam mentioned the following Ahadīth:

قَالَتْ: فَدُخِلَ عَلَيْنَا يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ بِلَحْمِ بَقَرٍ، فَقُلْتُ: مَا هَذَا؟ قَالَ: نَحَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ أَزْوَاجِهِ

Narrated Aisha: Cow meat was brought to us on the day of (i.e. the days of slaughtering in Hajj) and I asked, “What is this?” Somebody said, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) has slaughtered (a cow) on behalf of his wives.”[Sahih Al-Bukhari][9]
 

ضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ نِسَائِهِ بِالْبَقَرِ

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered sacrifice of a cow on behalf of his wives. [Sahih Muslim][10]
 

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ مُحَارِبِ بْنِ دِثَارٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: «أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ المَدِينَةَ، نَحَرَ جَزُورًا أَوْ بَقَرَةً»، زَادَ مُعَاذٌ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ مُحَارِبٍ، سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ «اشْتَرَى مِنِّي النَّبِيُّ  صلّى الله عليه وسلم بَعِيرًا بِوَقِيَّتَيْنِ وَدِرْهَمٍ أَوْ دِرْهَمَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ صِرَارًا أَمَرَ بِبَقَرَةٍ، فَذُبِحَتْ فَأَكَلُوا مِنْهَا، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ المَدِينَةَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ آتِيَ المَسْجِدَ، فَأُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَوَزَنَ لِي ثَمَنَ البَعِيرِ»

“When Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) arrived at Medina, he slaughtered a camel or a cow.” Jabir added, “The Prophet (ﷺ) bought a camel from me for two Uqiyas (of gold) and one or two Dirhams. When he reached Sirar, he ordered that a cow be slaughtered and they ate its meat. When he arrived at Medina, he ordered me to go to the Mosque and offer two rak`at, and weighed (and gave) me the price of the camel.”
Allāmah Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī Rahimahullah comments on this Hadīth in Faidh Al-Bārī as follows:

قوله‏:‏ ‏(‏نَحَر جَزُورًا، أو بَقَرةً‏)‏ وقد ثبت ذَبْحُ البقرة، وأَكْلُ لجمها في مواضع‏:‏ منها في قِصة بربرة، وكانت تصدق عليها؛ والثانية‏:‏ أن النبيَّ‏:‏ ذَبَح بقوةً عن نسائه في الحجِّ، وتلك ثالثها، فَمَنْ ظنَّ أنه لم يثبت عنه أَكْلُ لحمِ البقرةِ، فقد غَفَل عن تلك الأحاديثِ‏

“The slaughtering of the cow and eating its meat has been established in a few places: from them is the incident of Bareera Radhiallahu Anha and the meat was given as charity to her.[11] The second time was when the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam slaughtered a cow on behalf of his wives at the time of Hajj. And this is the third incident. So the person who thinks the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not eat cow meat, he is neglectful of these narrations.”
It is clear from the texts mentioned above that it is permissible to consume beef. However, if one wishes, he may abstain from consuming beef due to personal medical conditions or preferences on condition he does not render beef to be haram.
http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/28857