Musnad Humaydi

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: ➊ Imam Muslim rahimahullah has here only transmitted the supplication of Hudhayfah ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu, and there are other supplications also established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Furthermore, the author has not mentioned the occasion and context of this supplication. The commentator of Sahih Muslim, Imam Nawawi rahimahullah, has described the procedure of the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) in Riyad al-Salihin as follows: after the first takbir, one should recite the ta'awwudh, Surah al-Fatihah, and any other surah; after the second takbir, recite the Ibrahimic salutation (salat al-Ibrahimiyyah) as in the prayer; after the third takbir, supplicate for the deceased and for the general Muslims; and after the fourth takbir, contrary to the common practice of people, make a lengthy supplication and then conclude with salam.

➋ In the funeral prayer, the various supplications established from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam should be combined or some of them should be recited, and supplications should be made with sincerity and earnestness. This is only possible when the supplications and their meanings are memorized and understood.

➌ From the statement of Hudhayfah ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu, "I heard the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam," it is established that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam recited these supplications aloud, slowly and with pauses, so that they could be memorized upon hearing them. Similarly, from the narrations of other Companions radi Allahu anhum ajma'in, it is also established that supplications in the funeral prayer were recited aloud. However, this does not mean that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam always recited supplications aloud. Moreover, there is no hadith that establishes that the Companions radi Allahu anhum ajma'in would say "Ameen" aloud behind him. Therefore, this practice—saying "Ameen" aloud—is not correct.

➍ After the funeral prayer, until the burial of the deceased, there is no supplication established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam or from his rightly guided caliphs radi Allahu anhum ajma'in. Therefore, all subsequent supplications are self-invented, even though it is well known that in acts of worship, the fundamental principle is textual evidence, and personal opinion or analogy has no place here.

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.