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الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتاب رحمةBook of Mercy
بَابُ رَحْمَةِ الْبَهَائِمِChapter: Mercy to Animals
Hadith 378
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُمَيٍّ مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ”بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي بِطَرِيقٍ اشْتَدَّ بِهِ الْعَطَشُ، فَوَجَدَ بِئْرًا فَنَزَلَ فِيهَا، فَشَرِبَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ، فَإِذَا كَلْبٌ يَلْهَثُ، يَأْكُلُ الثَّرَى مِنَ الْعَطَشِ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: لَقَدْ بَلَغَ هَذَا الْكَلْبَ مِنَ الْعَطَشِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي كَانَ بَلَغَنِي، فَنَزَلَ الْبِئْرَ فَمَلَأَ خُفَّاهُ، ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَهَا بِفِيهِ، فَسَقَى الْكَلْبَ، فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ، فَغَفَرَ لَهُ“، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، وَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي الْبَهَائِمِ أَجْرًا؟ قَالَ: ”فِي كُلِّ ذَاتِ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ.“
Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "A man was walking on a road when he became extremely thirsty. He found a well, so he went down into it and drank water. When he came out, he saw a dog panting and eating moist earth out of thirst. The man thought, 'This dog is suffering from thirst just as I was.' So he went down into the well, filled his sock with water, held it in his mouth, and climbed out, then gave the dog water to drink. Allah appreciated his action and forgave him." The Companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Is there a reward for us in (serving) animals as well?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is a reward for serving every living being with a moist liver."
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ In some narrations, instead of a man, mention is made of an immoral woman—that the one who gave water was a sinful (fahishah) woman. It is possible that these are two separate incidents.
➋ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was sent not only for mankind but as a mercy for all the worlds. He instructed not only to observe the rights of humans but also the rights of animals: not to overburden them, to take care of their food, and to avoid beating them without reason—all these are part of his teachings. However, those harmful animals which have been commanded to be killed are an exception to this, but even then, it is forbidden to kill them in a torturous manner.
➌ Once, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered that all dogs be killed, but then he forbade it and commanded only the killing of black dogs, stating the reason that it is a devil (shaytan). Therefore, keeping dogs as a hobby is a blameworthy act, due to which every day a qirat (a measure) of good deeds is reduced from a person’s record. Thus, this hadith is by no means a proof for keeping dogs. It absolutely does not mean that, in order to attain Allah’s mercy, a person should start keeping dogs and serving them. The forgiveness of that person occurred because of the feeling of mercy that arose in him at that moment.
➊ In some narrations, instead of a man, mention is made of an immoral woman—that the one who gave water was a sinful (fahishah) woman. It is possible that these are two separate incidents.
➋ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was sent not only for mankind but as a mercy for all the worlds. He instructed not only to observe the rights of humans but also the rights of animals: not to overburden them, to take care of their food, and to avoid beating them without reason—all these are part of his teachings. However, those harmful animals which have been commanded to be killed are an exception to this, but even then, it is forbidden to kill them in a torturous manner.
➌ Once, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered that all dogs be killed, but then he forbade it and commanded only the killing of black dogs, stating the reason that it is a devil (shaytan). Therefore, keeping dogs as a hobby is a blameworthy act, due to which every day a qirat (a measure) of good deeds is reduced from a person’s record. Thus, this hadith is by no means a proof for keeping dogs. It absolutely does not mean that, in order to attain Allah’s mercy, a person should start keeping dogs and serving them. The forgiveness of that person occurred because of the feeling of mercy that arose in him at that moment.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 378
