Hushaym [ibn Bushayr] narrated to us from Abu az-Zubayr from Jaabir,( May Allah be pleased with him) who said,
“We were under the leadership of Abu Ubaydah during an expedition on which the Prophet, (peace be upon him) sent us, and we ran out of supplies. We passed by a whale that had been washed ashore, and we wanted to eat from it, but Abu Ubaydah did not allow us to do so, [saying it was dead meat]. Then later on he said, ‘We are the envoys of the Messenger of and [traveling] for the sake of Allah, so eat [from it]’. So we ate from it for several days. When we came back, we told the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) about that and he said, ‘If you still have any of it left, give it to us.”‘
(Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 3, p. 304. The isnaad of this hadeeth is saheef1 according to the conditions set by Muslim.)
Commentary
The statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) clearly indicates his approval of what his companions had done. The fact that he asked them if they had any of the whales left indicates the permissibility of eating the dead fish that have been washed ashore.
Source:
Thulaathiyyaat Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reports of Imaam Ahmad that have only three narrators between him and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Saalim as–Saffaareenee al–Hanbalee ~(1114 –1188 AH)