Hadith 10699

حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ , حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ , عَنْ سُمَيٍّ , عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ , عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ , أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : " بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي بِطَرِيقٍ اشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ 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 بَلَغَنِي ، فَنَزَلَ الْبِئْرَ فَمَلَأَ خُفَّهُ ، ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَهُ بِفِيهِ ، حَتَّى رَقِيَ فَسَقَى الْكَلْبَ ، فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ ، فَغَفَرَ لَهُ " ، فَقِيلَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، إِنَّ لَنَا فِي الْبَهَائِمِ لَأَجْرًا ؟ فَقَالَ : " فِي كُلِّ ذَاتِ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ " .
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: A man was walking on the road when he was overcome by intense thirst. He found a well nearby, so he went down into the well, quenched his thirst, and came out. Suddenly, he saw a dog that was licking mud out of thirst. He thought to himself that this dog must be as thirsty as I was. So he went down into the well again, filled his sock with water, held it in his mouth, came out, and gave the dog water to drink. Allah appreciated this deed of his and forgave him. When the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) heard this, they asked, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), is there a reward for us even in (doing good to) animals?" The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "There is a reward in (doing good to) every living being with a moist liver."
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند المكثرين من الصحابة / 10699
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده صحيح، خ: 2363، م: 2244