Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 6825

Mikhwal al-Nahdi, then al-Sulami, who lived in both the Jahiliyyah and Islam, narrates: I set up a snare at al-Abwa', and a young deer got caught in one of its cords. It ran off with the cord, and I went after it, following it, and I found a man who had caught it. The two of us disputed over it, and we presented our case before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). We found him encamped at al-Abwa' under a tree, shaded by a leather sheet. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled concerning it that it would be divided between the two of us in two halves. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! This is my cord, which is on its leg." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is as it is." I said: "O Messenger of Allah! We come to some water, and camels come to us there that are thirsty. Shall we give them water, and will we have a reward for that?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes! You will have a reward for doing good to every living being." I said: "O Messenger of Allah! What if we come across stray camels whose udders have not been milked, and we are hungry?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Say: 'O owner of the camels!' If someone comes, well and good; otherwise, remove the cloth tied over its udder, milk it and drink, then tie the cloth back, and leave in it what will bring the milk down again." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began to say: "Soon a time will come upon people when the best wealth will be goats between the two mosques" - the narrator said: meaning between (the mosque of) Madinah and the mosque of Makkah - "they will eat the leaves of the trees and come down to the water; their owner will eat of their clarified butter and wear (clothing made) from their wool" - (the narrator is unsure; perhaps the words are:) "from their hair" - "while tribulations will be circling among the Arabs and blood will be shed." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said this three times. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Give me some advice." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Fear Allah Almighty! Establish the prayer, pay the zakah, perform Hajj and Umrah, be dutiful to your parents, maintain the ties of kinship, honour the guest, enjoin what is good, forbid what is evil, and remain with the truth wherever it is."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad bin Sulayman bin Masmul, who is da'if (weak).