Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1483
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْتُلُوا الْحَيَّاتِ وَاقْتُلُوا ذَا الطُّفْيَتَيْنِ وَالأَبْتَرَ فَإِنَّهُمَا يَلْتَمِسَانِ الْبَصَرَ وَيُسْقِطَانِ الْحَبَلَ " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَعَائِشَةَ وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَسَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي لُبَابَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ قَتْلِ حَيَّاتِ الْبُيُوتِ وَهِيَ الْعَوَامِرُ وَيُرْوَى عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ أَيْضًا . وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ إِنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ مِنْ قَتْلِ الْحَيَّاتِ قَتْلُ الْحَيَّةِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ دَقِيقَةً كَأَنَّهَا فِضَّةٌ وَلاَ تَلْتَوِي فِي مِشْيَتِهَا .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: Kill snakes, and kill Dhu al-Tufyatayn and al-Abtar, for they impair eyesight and cause miscarriages. Reports on this topic are also narrated from Ibn Masud, Aishah, Abu Hurayrah, and Sahl ibn Sad. Abu Isa said: This hadith is hasan sahih. It is also reported from Ibn Umar, from Abu Lubabah, that the Prophet later prohibited killing snakes found in houses, which are called al-awamir. A similar report is also transmitted from Ibn Umar, from Zayd ibn al-Khattab. Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said: The snake whose killing is considered disliked is only the thin one, like silver, that does not coil as it moves.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The two snake types are kept in transliteration. The compiler cites a later prohibition for house snakes and a specific description of a snake whose killing is disliked.
وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ إِنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ مِنْ قَتْلِ الْحَيَّاتِ قَتْلُ الْحَيَّةِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ دَقِيقَةً كَأَنَّهَا فِضَّةٌ وَلاَ تَلْتَوِي فِي مِشْيَتِهَا .
Ibn al-Mubarak describes a particular snake by its narrow, silver-like appearance and movement.
Does this wording convey the snake description without over-interpreting the physical traits?