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Sunan Abu DawudGeneral Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)

Sunan Abu Dawud 5250

Chapter: Regarding killing snakes

Differing grades 4 scholars’ grades Sunan Abu Dawud 5250

Narrator:Ibn ‘Abbās

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عِكْرِمَةَ، يَرْفَعُ الْحَدِيثَ فِيمَا أُرَى إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏

مَنْ تَرَكَ الْحَيَّاتِ مَخَافَةَ طَلَبِهِنَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا مَا سَالَمْنَاهُنَّ مُنْذُ حَارَبْنَاهُنَّ ‏"

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who leaves the snakes along through fear of their pursuit, does not belong to us. We have not made peace with them since we have fought with them.

Reported by Abu Dawud (No. 5250) and Ahmad (No. 1933).

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Classical commentary

Al-Azimabadi — Awn al-Ma'bud

( طَلَبَهُنَّ ) : أَيْ اِنْتِقَامَهُنَّ قَالَ الْمُنْذِرِيُّ : وَلَمْ يَجْزِمْ مُوسَى بْن مُسْلِمٍ الرَّاوِي عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ بِأَنَّ عِكْرِمَةَ رَفَعَهُ.…

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Scholars’ grades

The 4 scholars cited do not give the same grade: each one is shown below.

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Albanid. 1420 AH AuthenticSahih صحيح The hadith No. 5250
Shu'ayb al-Arna'utd. 1438 AH AuthenticSahih The hadith No. 5250
Zubair Ali Zaid. 1435 AH WeakDaif The hadith No. 5250
Muhammad Muhyi al-Din Abd al-Hamidd. 1392 AH AuthenticSahih The hadith No. 5250

Other versions

Also reported by… (3)
  • الأحاديث المختارة (4418)مَنْ تَرَكَ الْحَيَّاتِ مَخَافَةَ طَلَبِهِنَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا ، مَا سَالَمْنَاهُنَّ مُنْذُ حَارَبْنَاهُنَّ
  • الأحاديث المختارة (4419)مَنْ تَرَكَ الْحَيَّاتِ مَخَافَةَ طَلَبِهِنَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا
  • المعجم الكبير للطبراني (11643)مَنْ تَرَكَ الْحَيَّاتِ مَخَافَةَ طَلَبِهِنَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا

On the same subject

Not graded Mishkat al-Masabih 4137

'Abd ar-Rahman b. Abu Laila. said that Abu Laila reported God’s messenger as saying, "When a snake appears in a dwelling say to it, ‘We ask you by the covenant made with Noah and the covenant made with Solomon son of David not to harm us.’ Then if it comes back, kill it." Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud…

" إِذَا ظَهَرَتِ الْحَيَّةُ فِي الْمَسْكَنِ فَقُولُوا لَهَا: إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكِ بِعَهْدِ نُوحٍ وَبِعَهْدِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ أَنْ لَا تُؤْذِينَا فَإِنْ عَادَتْ فَاقْتُلُوهَا "

+ 1 other version

Not graded Mishkat al-Masabih 4140

Ibn Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "Kill all the snakes, and he who fears their revenge does not belong to me." Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اقْتُلُوا الْحَيَّاتِ كُلَّهُنَّ فَمَنْ خَافَ ثَأْرَهُنَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd + 1 other version

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 5252

Kill snakes, kill those which have two streaks and those with small tails, for they obliterate the eyesight and cause miscarriage. Salim said: ‘Abd Allah(b. ‘Umar) used to kill every snake which he found. Abu Lubabah or Zaid b. al-Khattab saw him chasing a snake. He said: He(the Prophet) prohibited…

اقْتُلُوا الْحَيَّاتِ وَذَا الطُّفْيَتَيْنِ وَالأَبْتَرَ فَإِنَّهُمَا يَلْتَمِسَانِ الْبَصَرَ وَيُسْقِطَانِ الْحَبَلَ ‏"

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 6 other versions

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 5253

The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) prohibited killing the jinnan(small snakes) that are in the house, except the one which have two streaks and the one with small tail, for they obliterate the eyesight and cause miscarriage.

قَتْلِ الْجِنَّانِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ فِي الْبُيُوتِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَا الطُّفْيَتَيْنِ وَالأَبْتَرَ فَإِنَّهُمَا يَخْطِفَانِ الْبَصَرَ وَيَطْرَحَانِ مَا فِي بُطُونِ النِّسَاءِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Abu Lubāba ibn Abd al-Mundhir + 5 other versions

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Tuesday, October 13, 2026 2 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ

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