Al-Kāfi - The Book of Food

Chapter: The Excellence of the Meat of Sheep Over Goats َّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْ٠َّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ ( عليه السلا٠) إِنَّ أَهْلَ بَيْتِي لَا يَأْكُلُونَ لَحْ٠َ الضَّأْنِ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَ لِ٠َ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّهُ٠ْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ يُهَيِّجُ بِهِ٠ِرَّةَ السَّوْدَاءَ وَ الصُّدَاعَ وَ الْأَوْجَاعَ فَقَالَ لِي يَا سَعْدُ فَقُلْتُ لَبَّيْكَ قَالَ لَوْ عَلِ٠َ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ شَيْئاً أَكْرَ٠ِنَ الضَّأْنِ لَفَدَى بِهِ إِسْ٠َاعِيلَ ( عليه السلا٠2.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Sa‘d ibn Sa‘d who has said the following: “I once said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘My family does not like the meat of sheep.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘Why do they not like it?’ I replied, ‘They say that it accelerates bitterness, headache and pains.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘O Sa‘d.’ I replied, ‘Yes, my Imam.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Had Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, considered anything more revered than sheep He would have presented it instead (of the ram) as ransom for Ismail (a.s.).’” صحيح - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (22/130))