Hadith 4041

Abu al-Sa’ib narrated: We visited Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, and while we were sitting, we heard movement under his bed. We looked and found a snake. I jumped to kill it, but Abu Sa’id was praying and signaled me to sit, so I sat. When he finished, he pointed to a house in the courtyard and said: “Do you see that house?” I said: “Yes.” He said: “There was a young man among us recently married. We went with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to the Trench, and this young man would seek the Prophet’s permission at midday to return to his family. One day, he sought permission, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Take your weapon, for I fear Qurayzah may harm you.’ The man took his weapon and returned, finding his wife standing between the doors. Overcome with jealousy, he aimed his spear to strike her. She said: ‘Hold your spear and enter the house to see what drove me out.’ He entered and found a large snake coiled on the bed. He struck it with his spear, piercing it, then went out and planted the spear in the courtyard. The snake writhed on it, and it is unclear which died first, the snake or the young man. We came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), informed him, and said: ‘Pray to Allah to revive him for us.’ He said: ‘Seek forgiveness for your companion.’ Then he said: ‘These houses have dwellers (snakes). If you see any, warn them for three days. If they leave, fine; otherwise, kill them, for they are disbelievers.’ He also said: ‘Go and bury your companion.’ In another narration: ‘There are jinn in Madinah who have embraced Islam. If you see any of them, warn them for three days. If they appear after that, kill them, for they are devils.’