Narrated `Abdullah: While we were in the company of the Prophet in a cave at Mina, when Surat-wal-Mursalat were revealed and he recited it and I heard it (directly) from his mouth as soon as he recited its revelation. Suddenly a snake sprang at us and the Prophet said (ordered us): "Kill it." We ran to kill it but it escaped quickly. The Prophet said, "It has escaped your evil and you too have escaped its evil."
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
Here, an objection arises that the meaning of the chapter does not emerge from the hadith, because where in the hadith is it mentioned that the Companions were in a state of ihram? The answer to this is that in the narration of Isma'il, it is further clarified that this incident took place on the night of 'Arafah, and it is evident that at that time, everyone would have been in a state of ihram (ritual consecration).
Thus, the meaning of the chapter is established. The statement "Qala Abu 'Abdullah..." is not present in most copies; it is found in the narration of Abu al-Waqt.
This statement removes the objection mentioned above.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 1830
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this narration, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established that a person in the state of ihram (muhrim) may kill a snake, because it too is a harmful creature. Although the state of ihram is not mentioned in this hadith, in one narration it is stated that the mentioned incident occurred on the night of Arafah, and the night of Arafah is spent in the state of ihram. In another narration, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered a muhrim at the place of Mina to kill a snake. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salam, Hadith: 5837(2235)) From this, it is understood that it is permissible to kill a snake while in the state of ihram.
(2)
Ibn al-Mundhir has transmitted consensus (ijma‘) on the matter that a person in the state of ihram may kill a snake, but some scholars have made an exception for small snakes that are not harmful. (Fath al-Bari: 4/53, 54)
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 1830
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
The narration of Abu Awanah has been connected by the author himself in the Book of Tafsir, and the narration of Hafs has also been connected by the author in the Book of Hajj, and the narration of Abu Muawiyah has been connected by Imam Muslim. Regarding the narration of Sulaiman bin Qarm, Hafiz said: I have not found it connected.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 3317
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
If snakes emerge from houses, they should be told to leave before being killed; if they do not leave, then they may be killed. However, if they appear in uninhabited places, forests, etc., they may be killed without warning, as mentioned in this hadith. Although the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) were not successful in killing it, nevertheless, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not command that a warning be given.
➋
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah)'s purpose here is only to the extent that this hadith mentions the snake, and he is mentioning those ahadith in which animals are referenced in some way.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 3317
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
In one narration, it is reported that Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radi Allahu anhu said:
On the night of the snake, Surah Al-Mursalat was revealed on the mountain of Hira.
People asked:
What is meant by the night of the snake? He replied:
That night, a snake appeared, so the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
Kill it.
"But it entered a hole.
He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"Leave it alone."
(Fath al-Bari: 8/877.)
➋
From this hadith, it is understood that when this incident occurred, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was on the mountain of Hira. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes that the incident in which Mina is explicitly mentioned is authentic.
(Fath al-Bari: 8/876.)
In a hadith narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radi Allahu anhu, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered a person in the state of ihram in Mina to kill a snake.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salam, Hadith 5837 (2235))
It is possible that this is the same incident mentioned in the ahadith presented by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah. In any case, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah wants to indicate the place of revelation of this surah through these ahadith.
And Allah knows best.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 4931
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
The situation mentioned in the verse will be the final state of the inhabitants of Hell, which will befall them at the time of their entry into Hell. Prior to this, in the plain of resurrection, these people will say many things and present numerous excuses. However, when all the demands of justice and fairness have been fulfilled and the punishment has been pronounced upon them, they will be left speechless, and there will remain no opportunity for them to say anything in their defense. This is similar to how we say, "I did not let him speak," or "I rendered him speechless." And Allah knows best.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 4934
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: This incident pertains to the state of ihram, when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was in Mina on the night of Arafah. He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave the command to kill the snake while in the Haram and in the state of ihram, but it could not be caught. In this way, it escaped being killed, and it had not bitten anyone either. Thus, neither party was able to harm the other.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 5835
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
Khayf refers to the foothill of a mountain. The mosque in Mina is called Masjid Khayf because it is situated at the foothill of the mountain. And this is within the Haram, therefore, a snake may also be killed within the Haram, provided that it is not among those snakes whose killing has been prohibited.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 2886
Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim bin Basheer
Benefit:
The Noble Qur’an is a revelation sent down from Allah; we have faith in this. Similarly, the hadith of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is also revelation. Both the Qur’an and hadith are absolutely authentic in their transmission, and all praise is due to Allah. This is because they constitute the Shari‘ah, and it should be remembered that something speculative (zanni) does not form part of the Shari‘ah.
It is also evident from this that a human being can forget things, for man is characterized by forgetfulness (nisyan). In this hadith, the snake is described as an embodiment of evil, because its venom can prove fatal. And upon seeing a snake, one should not be afraid, rather, one should kill it. In fact, in some authentic ahadith it is stated that whoever sees a snake and becomes afraid (and does not kill it), he is not from among us. (Sunan Abi Dawud: 5249, its chain is authentic)
Source: Musnad al-Humaydi: Commentary by Muhammad Ibrahim bin Bashir, Page: 106