Authentic
graded by Salim al-Hilali
Muwatta Malik 1612
وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُ وَجَدَ غِلْمَانًا قَدْ أَلْجَئُوا ثَعْلَبًا إِلَى زَاوِيَةٍ فَطَرَدَهُمْ عَنْهُ . قَالَ مَالِكٌ لاَ أَعْلَمُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَفِي حَرَمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصْنَعُ هَذَا
Malik related to me from Yunus ibn Yusuf from Ata ibn Yasar that Abu Ayyub al-Ansari found some boys who had driven a fox into a corner, and he chased them away from it.
Malik said, "I only know that he said, 'Is this done in the Haram of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?' "
Reported by Malik (No. 1612).