Hadith #106

Arabic Text

English Translation

It was narrated from Abu Hurayra (رضي الله عنه) — via al-Walid, from al-Awza'i, from Yahya, from Abu Salama; and via Abu Dawud, from Harb, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Abu Salama — [narrated by meaning:] that when Allah granted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ victory over Mecca, he stood among the people, praised Allah, and said: 'Indeed Allah restrained the elephant from Mecca and gave authority over it to His Messenger and the believers. It was made lawful for me only for an hour of the day — then it is inviolable until the Day of Resurrection. Its trees are not to be cut, its game is not to be frightened away, and its lost property may not be picked up except by one who will announce it [seeking the owner]. Whoever has a relative slain has the choice between the two best options: to accept blood money or to have [the killer] killed.' A man from Yemen called Abu Shah stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, have it written for me.' He said: 'Write it down for him.' the Prophet ﷺ's uncle [al-'Abbas] said: 'Except for the idhkhir [lemongrass] — for we use it for our graves and our houses.' the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Except for the idhkhir.' [Al-Walid said:] 'I asked al-Awza'i: what does "write it down for Abu Shah" mean?' He said: 'It means: write down the sermon he heard.' Abu 'Abd al-Rahman [Ahmad's son 'Abdullah] said: 'Nothing more authentic than this hadith is narrated in support of writing down hadiths — for the Prophet ﷺ commanded them: "Write down for Abu Shah what he heard of the Prophet ﷺ's sermon."'