The Book of Horses, Races and Shooting

Qutaibah bin Sa'id narrated to us: Al-Laith narrated to us, from Yazid bin Abi Habib, from Abu Al-Khair, from Ibn Zurair, from 'Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: 'A mule was presented to the Messenger of Allah, and he rode it.' 'Ali said: 'If we bred donkeys with horses, we would have animals like this.' The Messenger of Allah replied: 'Only those who do not know do that.'

Humayd bin Mas'adah narrated to us: Hammad narrated to us, from Abu Jahdam, from 'Abdullah bin 'Ubaidullah bin 'Abbas, who said: 'I was with Ibn 'Abbas when a man asked him, Did the Messenger of Allah recite during Zuhr and 'Asr? He said, No. The man asked, Perhaps he recited silently to himself? Ibn 'Abbas replied, May you be scratched! This question is worse than the first. The Messenger of Allah was a servant whom Allah commanded, and he conveyed His command. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah singled us out with nothing above the other people except three things: he commanded us to perform ablution fully, not to consume charity, and not to mate donkeys with horses.'

Al-Harith bin Miskin read to him while he listened: Ibn Wahb narrated to me; Talhah bin Abi Sa'id told me that Sa'id Al-Maqburi told him, from Abu Hurairah, from the Messenger of Allah, who said: 'Whoever keeps a horse in the cause of Allah, believing in Allah and affirming His promise, will have its feed, drink, urine, and dung counted as good deeds on his scale.'

Qutaybah ibn Sa'id reported to us: Al-Layth narrated to us, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) held a race between horses, sending them out from Al-Hafya', with their finish line at Thaniyyat al-Wada'. He also held a race for horses that had not been made lean, with the course running from Ath-Thaniyyah to the mosque of Banu Zurayq.

Muhammad ibn Salamah and al-Harith ibn Miskin informed us—the text was read to him while I was listening—from Ibn al-Qasim, who said: Malik narrated to me, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) held a race for horses that had been made lean, from Al-Hafya' to Thaniyyat al-Wada'. He also held a race for horses that had not been made lean, from Ath-Thaniyyah to the mosque of Banu Zurayq. 'Abdullah was among those who raced them.

Isma'il ibn Mas'ud reported to us: Khalid narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Dhi'b, from Nafi' ibn Abi Nafi', from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘There is no prize for competition except in archery, racing horses, or racing camels.’

Sa'id ibn 'Abd al-Rahman, Abu 'Ubayd Allah al-Makhzumi, reported to us: Sufyan narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Dhi'b, from Nafi' ibn Abi Nafi', from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘There is no prize for competition except in archery, racing camels, or racing horses.’

Ibrahim ibn Ya'qub reported to us: Ibn Abi Maryam narrated to us: Al-Layth informed us, from Ibn Abi Ja'far, from Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman, from Sulayman ibn Yasar, from Abu 'Abdullah, the freedman of Banu al-Junda', from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: ‘No prize is lawful except in camel or horse racing.’

Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us, from Khalid, who said: Humayd narrated to us, from Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had a she-camel called al-'Adba', which had never been beaten. A Bedouin came riding a young camel, and it outran her. This distressed the Muslims. When he saw the dismay on their faces, they said, ‘Messenger of Allah, al-'Adba' has been beaten.’ He said: ‘It is a due claim upon Allah that nothing in this world rises without being brought low.’

'Imran ibn Musa reported to us: 'Abd al-Warith narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn 'Amr, from Abu al-Hakam, a freedman of Banu Layth, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: ‘There is no prize for competition except in racing camels or racing horses.’

Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah ibn Bazi' reported to us: Yazid—meaning Ibn Zuray'—narrated to us: Humayd narrated to us: al-Hasan narrated to us, from 'Imran ibn Husayn, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: ‘There is no jalab, janab, or shighar in Islam. Whoever seizes booty is not one of us.’

Muhammad ibn Bashshar reported to us: Muhammad narrated to us: Shu'bah narrated to us, from Abu Qaza'ah, from al-Hasan, from 'Imran ibn Husayn, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘There is no jalab, janab, or shighar in Islam.’

'Amr ibn 'Uthman ibn Sa'id ibn Kathir informed me: Baqiyyah ibn al-Walid narrated to us: Shu'bah narrated to me: Humayd at-Tawil narrated to me, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: A Bedouin raced against the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and beat him. It seemed that the Messenger's Companions were troubled by this, and something was said to him about it. He said: ‘It is a due claim upon Allah that whenever anything exalts itself in this world, Allah brings it low.’

Al-Harith ibn Miskin said—as it was read to him while I was listening: Ibn Wahb narrated to us: Sa'id ibn 'Abd al-Rahman informed me, from Hisham ibn 'Urwah, from Yahya ibn 'Abbad ibn 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, from his grandfather, who used to say: In the year of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) allotted four shares to az-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam: one share for az-Zubayr, one share for the near kin—Safiyyah bint 'Abd al-Muttalib, az-Zubayr's mother—and two shares for the horse.