Beginning of Creation: Hadith 518

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَخْطُبُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ اقْتُلُوا الْحَيَّاتِ، وَاقْتُلُوا ذَا الطُّفْيَتَيْنِ وَالأَبْتَرَ، فَإِنَّهُمَا يَطْمِسَانِ الْبَصَرَ، وَيَسْتَسْقِطَانِ الْحَبَلَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أُطَارِدُ، حَيَّةً لأَقْتُلَهَا فَنَادَانِي أَبُو لُبَابَةَ لاَ تَقْتُلْهَا‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ أَمَرَ بِقَتْلِ الْحَيَّاتِ‏.‏ قَالَ إِنَّهُ نَهَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ ذَوَاتِ الْبُيُوتِ، وَهْىَ الْعَوَامِرُ‏.‏

English Translation

Narrated Ibn Umar: That he heard the Prophet delivering a sermon on the pulpit saying, "Kill snakes and kill Dhu-at-Tufyatain (i.e. a snake with two white lines on its back) and ALBATROSS (i.e. a snake with short or mutilated tail) for they destroy the sight of one's eyes and bring about abortion." ('Abdullah bin 'Umar further added): Once while I was chasing a snake in order, to kill it, Abu Lubaba called me saying: "Don't kill it," I said. "Allah's Apostle ordered us to kill snakes." He said, "But later on he prohibited the killing of snakes living in the houses." (Az-Zubri said. "Such snakes are called AlAwamir.")