42/38. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4358 — Do Not Punish a Whole Colony for One Ant
Killings Ants
Mercy to Animals in Islam: The Ant Colony Hadith
Sunan an-Nasai : 4358
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4358
أَخْبَرَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ بَيَانٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبِي، سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَنَّ نَمْلَةً قَرَصَتْ نَبِيًّا مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ فَأَمَرَ بِقَرْيَةِ النَّمْلِ فَأُحْرِقَتْ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ قَدْ قَرَصَتْكَ نَمْلَةٌ أَهْلَكْتَ أُمَّةً مِنَ الأُمَمِ تُسَبِّحُ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
An ant bit one of the prophets, and he ordered that the ant nest be burned. Then Allah revealed to him: "One ant bit you, and you destroyed one of the nations that glorify Allah."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4358In-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 96English translation : Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 4363
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4358
This hadith teaches mercy to animals through the story of an ant colony. One ant bit a prophet, and he ordered the entire nest to be burned. Allah then revealed a correction: one ant had bitten him, but he had destroyed a whole nation that glorified Allah. The lesson is about fairness and proportion. Harm caused by one creature did not justify destroying all the others with it. The narration also reminds the reader that these creatures glorify Allah, even though people may not notice it. For searches about the ant hadith, burning ants in Islam, or kindness to animals, this report gives a strong warning against responding to a small injury with broad destruction. Punishment should not reach those that did not cause the harm.
What we learn from this hadith
- The bite of one ant did not justify destroying the whole colony.
- The prophet was corrected for punishing many because of one.
- The ants are described as a nation that glorifies Allah.
- Responses to harm should not become wider than the harm itself.
