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Maniha: A Good Gift (Ahadith 2295 – 2296)
Bismillah.
Volume 3, Book 47, Number 797:
Narrated Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu):
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “What a good Maniha (the she-camel which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk) is, and (what a good Maniha) (the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening) is!”
Volume 3, Book 47, Number 798:
Narrated Malik:
Maniha is a good deed of charity.
Maniha: a sort of gift in the form of a she-camel or a sheep which is given to somebody temporarily so that its milk may be used and then the animal is returned to its owner.
So it’s basically a very thoughtful and generous gift.. an example from today could be lending your car to someone with its tank full, or a printer along with hefty ink supply. I personally think we’re stingy when it comes to these things. We’d rather keep such benefits to ourselves than let others have any share in them. Definitely something to think about.
(Hadith No. 2165)
Bismillah.
Hadith no. 2164 (below) is a repeat, read it here.
Volume 3, Book 44, Number 667:
Narrated Anas (radiallaahu `anhu):
that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (radiallaahu `anhu) wrote to him the law of Zakat which was made obligatory by Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam). He wrote: ‘Partners possessing joint property (sheep) have to pay its Zakat equally.
Today’s Hadith:
Volume 3, Book 44, Number 668:
Narrated ‘Abaya bin Rafa’a bin Rafi’ bin Khadij:
My grandfather said, “We were in the company of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) at Dhul-Hulaifa. The people felt hungry and captured some camels and sheep (as booty). The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was behind the people. They hurried and slaughtered the animals and put their meat in pots and started cooking it. (When the Prophet came) he ordered the pots to be upset and then he distributed the animals (of the booty), regarding ten sheep as equal to one camel. One of the camels fled and the people ran after it till they were exhausted. At that time there were few horses. A man threw an arrow at the camel, and Allah stopped the camel with it. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Some of these animals are like wild animals, so if you lose control over one of these animals, treat it in this way (i.e. shoot it with an arrow).” Before distributing them among the soldiers my grandfather said, “We may meet the enemies in the future and have no knives; can we slaughter the animals with reeds?” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Use whatever causes blood to flow, and eat the animals if the name of Allah has been mentioned on slaughtering them. Do not slaughter with teeth or fingernails and I will tell you why: It is because teeth are bones (i.e. cannot cut properly) and fingernails are the tools used by the Ethiopians (whom we should not imitate for they are infidels).”
#HadithOfTheYear (Hadith No. 2014)
Bismillah.
Volume 3, Book 39, Number 517 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, ‘I have not been created for this purpose (i.e. carrying), I have been created for ploughing.” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) added, “I, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar believe in the story.” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) went on, “A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, ‘Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?’ “After narrating it, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “I, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it.” Abu Salama (a sub-narrator) said, “Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhumaa) were not present then.”
(It has been written that a wolf also spoke to one of the companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) near Medina as narrated in Fath-al-Bari: Narrated Unais bin ‘Amr: Ahban bin Aus (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “I was amongst my sheep. Suddenly a wolf caught a sheep and I shouted at it. The wolf sat on its tail and addressed me, saying, ‘Who will look after it (i.e. the sheep) when you will be busy and not able to look after it? Do you forbid me the provision which Allah has provided me?’ ” Ahban (radiallaahu `anhu) added, “I clapped my hands and said, ‘By Allah, I have never seen anything more curious and wonderful than this!’ On that the wolf said, ‘There is something (more curious) and wonderful than this; that is, Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) in those palm trees, inviting people to Allah (i.e. Islam).’ “Unais bin ‘Amr further said, “Then Ahban (radiallaahu `anhu) went to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and informed him what happened and embraced Islam.”)
This hadith shows the importance of using animals for their purpose and nothing else – unless there’s evidence to prove otherwise. For example, Allah says in the Quran:
وَالْخَيْلَ وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً ۚ وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know. [16:8]
It is forbidden to eat the meat of donkeys and mules, but as for horses, Allah’s Apostle made them permissible.
It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: On the day of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eating the flesh of domestic donkeys, but he granted a concession with regard to horses. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3982; Muslim, 1941.
More on the ruling on eating horse meat here.
Another thing that’s worth mentioning here is the story of the wolf who spoke to Ahban ibn Aws (radiallaahu `anhu). To some extent, this reminds me of the Red Riding Hood and her Granny. It’s a fairy tale with no truth to it, but the story in the Hadith is real and 100% true. Narrations like these could replace the bed time story content for our children. We don’t have to tell them made-up stories to teach them morals after all!