Ibn Hibban

Abu Sa’ib narrates: I was present in the service of Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) at his house, and I found him performing prayer. I sat down waiting for him to finish his prayer. I heard the sound of something moving under the bed in his house, and it was a snake. I got up to kill it, but Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) gestured to me to sit down. When he finished his prayer, he pointed towards a room in the house and said, “Do you see that room?” I replied, “Yes!” He said, “A young man from among us used to live in it, who had recently gotten married. That young man used to take permission from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at noon to return to his house. Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: One day, he sought permission from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, ‘Take your weapon with you, for I fear something for you.’ He took his weapon and left. When he reached home, his wife was standing outside the door. He intended to strike her with the spear, as he became angry. The woman said, ‘Hold your spear; first see what is inside the house.’ When he entered the house, there was a large snake lying on the floor. The man advanced towards the snake and pierced it with his spear. Then he took it outside and fixed it in the courtyard. The snake on the tip of the spear moved (and bit the young man, so the young man fell down quickly; it could not be determined which of the two died first, the young man or the snake). The narrator says: Then we presented ourselves before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned this matter to him. We said, ‘Pray to Allah Almighty to bring this young man back to life.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Pray for forgiveness for your companion.’ Then he said, ‘In Madinah Munawwarah, there are some jinn who have become Muslims. When you see any of them (in the form of a snake), warn it for three days. If after that it appears before you, then kill it, for it will be a devil.’