49/31. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3780 — The Snake at Ibn Ziyad’s Head
The Virtues of Al-Hasan And Al-Husain, May Allah Be Pleased With Them Both
Hadith Report About the Snake and Ubaidullah bin Ziyad
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3780
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3780
حَدَّثَنَا وَاصِلُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا جِيءَ بِرَأْسِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَصْحَابِهِ نُضِّدَتْ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فِي الرَّحَبَةِ فَانْتَهَيْتُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ قَدْ جَاءَتْ قَدْ جَاءَتْ . فَإِذَا حَيَّةٌ قَدْ جَاءَتْ تَخَلَّلُ الرُّءُوسَ حَتَّى دَخَلَتْ فِي مَنْخَرَىْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ فَمَكَثَتْ هُنَيْهَةً ثُمَّ خَرَجَتْ فَذَهَبَتْ حَتَّى تَغَيَّبَتْ ثُمَّ قَالُوا قَدْ جَاءَتْ قَدْ جَاءَتْ . فَفَعَلَتْ ذَلِكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
'Umarah bin 'Umair Narrated from:
When The Heads Of 'Ubaidullah Bin Ziyad And His Companions Were Brought, They Were Stacked In The Masjid At Ar-Rahbah. So I Came To Them And They Were Saying: 'It Has Come, It Has Come." And Behold, There Was A Snake Going Between The Heads, Until It Entered The Nostrils Of 'Ubaidullah Bin Ziyad, And It Remained There Momentarily, Then Left And Went Until It Had Disappeared. Then They Said: 'It Has Come, It Has Come.' So It Did That Two Or Three Times."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3780In-book reference : Book 49, Hadith 179English translation : Vol. 1, Book 46, Hadith 3780
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3780
This report about Ubaidullah bin Ziyad describes a striking scene. Umarah bin Umair says that when the heads of Ubaidullah bin Ziyad and his companions were brought and stacked in the masjid at Ar-Rahbah, people said, “It has come, it has come.” A snake came between the heads, entered the nostrils of Ubaidullah bin Ziyad, stayed briefly, left, disappeared, and then returned. The report says this happened two or three times. The text does not give a direct explanation, ruling, or speech from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in this narration. So the safest explanation is to say that it records a serious and memorable event, often searched as the snake and Ibn Ziyad hadith, and it should be treated without exaggeration.
What we learn from this hadith
- The narration records a striking event involving Ubaidullah bin Ziyad.
- The report should be explained carefully without adding claims not stated in the text.
- Serious historical reports should be handled with restraint.
- The repeated action of the snake is part of the wording and should not be ignored.
