Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan Abu Dawud, which contains 5,276 hadiths across 43 books. It is hadith number 5262 in the Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab).

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#5261

#5262

Sunan Abu Dawud

#5263

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Sunan Abu Dawud #5262

Q: What is Sunan Abu Dawud 5262 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)), narrated by Narrated AbdurRahman Ibn AbuLayla:, states: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the house-snakes. He said: When you see one of them in your dwelling, say: I adjure you by the covenant which Noah made with you, and I adjure you by the cov…"

General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي لَيْلَى، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُئِلَ عَنْ حَيَّاتِ الْبُيُوتِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْهُنَّ شَيْئًا فِي مَسَاكِنِكُمْ فَقُولُوا أَنْشُدُكُنَّ الْعَهْدَ الَّذِي أَخَذَ عَلَيْكُنَّ نُوحٌ أَنْشُدُكُنَّ الْعَهْدَ الَّذِي أَخَذَ عَلَيْكُنَّ سُلَيْمَانُ أَنْ لاَ تُؤْذُونَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَ فَاقْتُلُوهُنَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the house-snakes. He said: When you see one of them in your dwelling, say: I adjure you by the covenant which Noah made with you, and I adjure you by the covenant which Solomon made with you not to harm us. Then if they come back, kill them.

Narrated by Narrated AbdurRahman Ibn AbuLayla:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) addresses the issue of house-snakes, instructing people on how to deal with them. He emphasizes the importance of invoking the covenants made by the prophets Noah and Solomon, which reflects a belief in seeking divine protection. This guidance illustrates a balance between respecting creatures and ensuring safety in one's home.

Modern Application

Today, this principle can be applied in how individuals approach pest control and dealing with wildlife. Many people seek humane methods to address such issues while also invoking a sense of responsibility towards all living beings.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Spiritual Trials and Animals in the Quran because it discusses the interaction with animals and the spiritual dimensions of seeking protection from harm.

Spiritual Trials Animals in the Quran