Hadith 493

Sunan Abi Da'ud

Book 43: General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab) Sahih

Chapter 177

Regarding killing ants

باب فِي قَتْلِ الذَّرِّ

Sahih
Sunan Abi Dawud 5265
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ - عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ ‏ ‏.‏
"‏ نَزَلَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ تَحْتَ شَجَرَةٍ فَلَدَغَتْهُ نَمْلَةٌ فَأَمَرَ بِجَهَازِهِ فَأُخْرِجَ مِنْ تَحْتِهَا ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهَا فَأُحْرِقَتْ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ فَهَلاَّ نَمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً ‏"
Abu hurairah reported the prophet (peace be upon him) as saying :

A prophet got down beneath a tree and he was stung by an ant. He ordered regarding the baggage and it was removed from beneath it. He then ordered regarding it and it was burnt. Allah then revealed to him : why not (just) one ant?