Gardens of the Righteous — Page 273
RIYADH AS-SALIHIN 273 1615. Ibn Mas'ud relates: We were with the Holy Prophet in the course of a journey when he drew apart and in his absence we saw a red bird which had two little ones with it. We caught them and the mother bird came and started beating the earth with its wings. By that time the Holy Prophet returned and exclaimed: Who has distressed this bird on account of its young?. Return them to her. He also noticed a mound of ants to which we had set fire. . He inquired: Who has set fire to this? We answered: We have. He observed: It does not behove any to torment with fire except the Lord of the fire (Abu. Daud). 282. . On the Undesirability of a Person of Means postponing Fulfilment of his Obligations. Allah, the Exalted, has said: 387. Allah commands you to make over the trusts to those best fitted to discharge them (4. 57). 388. Let him who is entrusted render back his trust when he is called upon to do so (2. 84). 1616. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: It is wrong on the part of a person of means to shilly shally in fulfilling his obligations; and if the repayment of a debt due to any of you is undertaken by a person of means you should agree to the substitution (Bokhari and Muslim). 283. . On Prohibition of Retracting a Gift 1617. Ibn Abbas relates that the Holy Prophet said: He who retracts a gift is like the dog that devours its vomit (Bokhari and Muslim). 1618. Umar ibn Khattab relates: I had dedicated a horse in the cause of. Allah but the person to whom I gave it was neglecting it and I was thinking of buying it from him believing that he would sell it cheap. So I inquired about it from the Holy Prophet who said: Do not buy it even if he should be willing to sell it for a dirhem, for this would be retracting your gift and he who does that is like one who devours his vomit (Bokhari and Muslim).