The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a donkey that had been branded on the face. He disapproved of it

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a donkey that was branded on its face, and he denounced it. According to the Hadīth of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who branded it in its face.

Branding is normally done to leave a mark on animals. Shepherds and those who raise farm animals usually have particular branding symbols. Each tribe has its own symbol, either two slashes, a square shape, a circle, or crescent shape. These symbols protect the animal if it is lost and someone finds it, then they will know what tribe it belongs to.

Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said as it was mentioned in the narration of Ibn Hibbān on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās that Al-‘Abbās branded a camel or an animal in its face, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw it and became angry. So Al-‘Abbās said: I will not brand it except on its backside, so then he branded it on its hips.

After knowing about the prohibition of branding in the face, he swore that he would not brand an animal except on a spot that is the furthest from its face. He ordered that his donkey should be branded on its hips, where an animal strikes its buttocks by its tail.

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "If someone brands an animal, then it will be desirable to brand sheep on their ears, and camels and cows on their thighs, because it is a hard and rough place where pain is less felt, there is not much hair, and the branding mark is apparent. The benefit of branding is to differentiate between people's animals."

Al-‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first one who branded his donkey on its buttocks.