Mukhtasar Muslim

Abu Sa’ib, the freed slave of Hisham bin Zuhrah, narrates that he went to Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) at his house. Abu Sa’ib said that he found him engaged in prayer, so he sat down. He waited for him to finish his prayer, and in the meantime, he heard a sound of movement from the wood that was placed in the corner of the house. He looked over and saw a snake. He rushed to kill it, but Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him) gestured to him to sit down. He sat down, and when he finished his prayer, he showed him a small room and asked, “Do you see this room?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “A young man from among us used to live in it, who had recently gotten married. We went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) towards the trench (Khandaq). That young man used to take permission from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at noon to come home. One day, he sought permission from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Prophet said, ‘Take your weapons with you, for I fear the Banu Qurayza (who had betrayed and, finding an opportunity, joined the polytheists).’ The man took his weapons. When he reached his house, he saw his wife standing between the two doors. Out of jealousy, he raised his spear to strike her, but the woman said, ‘Put your spear down and go inside to see why I have come out.’ The young man went inside and saw a large snake coiled up on the bedding. The young man raised his spear at it and pierced it with the spear, then came out and planted the spear in the ground. The snake attacked him. After that, we do not know whether the snake died first or the young man was martyred first. We came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and narrated the whole story and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Pray to Allah to bring that young man back to life.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Pray for forgiveness for your companion.’ Then he said, ‘There are jinn in Madinah who have become Muslims. So if you see snakes, warn them for three days. If they do not leave after three days, then kill them, for they are devils (i.e., disbelieving jinn or evil snakes).’