#3 Snakes

Book of Beginning of Creation

(14) Chapter: The Statement of Allah Taa'la: "... And the moving creatures of all kinds that He has scattered therein..."

hadith 3297, 3298

Narrated Ibn `Umar:

That he heard the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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 Al-Abtar (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 Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) ordered us to kill snakes." He said, "But later on he prohibited the killing of snakes living in the houses." (Az-Zuhri said. "Such snakes are called Al-Awamir.")