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الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
مسائل القتل والجرائم الأخرى وأحكام الدماءIssues of Killing, Other Crimes, and Blood Laws
أَبْوَابُ مَا يَجُوزُ قَتْلُهُ مِنَ الْحَيَوَانِ وَمَا لَا يَجُوزُ¤بَابُ الأمْرِ بِقَتْلِ الْفَوَاسِقِ مِنَ الْحَيَوَانChapters on what animals may be killed and what may not; chapter on the command to kill harmful animals
Hadith 6488
اُردوEn
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((مَنْ تَرَكَ الْحَيَّاتِ مَخَافَةَ طَلْبِهِنَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا، مَا سَالَمْنَاهُنَّ مُنْذُ حَارَبْنَاهُنَّ))
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Whoever refrains from killing a snake out of fear of its retaliation is not one of us. Since our battle with them began, we have not made peace with them.
Brief Explanation
Benefits: … Both humans and snakes, by their innate nature and disposition, consider each other as enemies. This mutual enmity is what is being described in this hadith. It is said that the origin of this enmity between Adam (alayhis salam) and the snake began when Iblis was prevented by the gatekeepers of Paradise from reaching Adam (alayhis salam), so the snake allowed him to enter Paradise. Then Iblis incited Adam and Hawwa (alayhimas salam) to eat from the forbidden tree, and thus succeeded in having them expelled from Paradise.
To fear the retaliatory action of a snake is mere superstition. In the era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), it used to be said that one should not kill a snake, otherwise its mate—either husband or wife—would take revenge by biting the killer. Even today, such superstitious beliefs are found in some regions of Pakistan; for example, it is said about a particular snake that seven snakes follow behind it.
The purpose of the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is to clarify that there is no such system among snakes; therefore, one should simply try to kill them.
To fear the retaliatory action of a snake is mere superstition. In the era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), it used to be said that one should not kill a snake, otherwise its mate—either husband or wife—would take revenge by biting the killer. Even today, such superstitious beliefs are found in some regions of Pakistan; for example, it is said about a particular snake that seven snakes follow behind it.
The purpose of the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is to clarify that there is no such system among snakes; therefore, one should simply try to kill them.
