18/15. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1485 — What to Say to a Snake
What Has Been Related About Killing Snakes
Hadith About a Snake Appearing in the Home
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1485
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1485
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي لَيْلَى، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو لَيْلَى قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا ظَهَرَتِ الْحَيَّةُ فِي الْمَسْكَنِ فَقُولُوا لَهَا إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكِ بِعَهْدِ نُوحٍ وَبِعَهْدِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ أَنْ لاَ تُؤْذِينَا فَإِنْ عَادَتْ فَاقْتُلُوهَا " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى .
Abu Laila Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "When A Snake Appears In Your Dwellings Then Say To It: We Ask You - By Covenant Of Nuh, And By The Covenant Of Sulaiman Bin Dawud - That You Do Not Harm Us.' If It Returns, Then Kill It."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1485In-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 27English translation : Vol. 3, Book 16, Hadith 1485
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1485
This hadith about a snake appearing in the home gives a specific warning to say. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught: ask it by the covenant of Nuh and the covenant of Sulaiman bin Dawud not to harm you. If it returns, then kill it. The main point is clear from the wording: do not act first without the warning mentioned here. The hadith treats the home situation with care. It also keeps safety in view, because if the snake returns after the warning, killing it is allowed in the text. The narration is marked as hasan gharib by Abu Isa, which is part of the provided Arabic report.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith gives a specific warning for a snake found in a dwelling.
- The warning asks that no harm be done to the people of the home.
- If the snake returns after the warning, the text permits killing it.
- The narration teaches caution before action inside the home.
