Stories from Early Islam — Page 45
45 told that it was done for the purpose of identifying well-bred animals. He was very displeased and forbade the branding of animals on the face, as it is a very sensitive part of the body. He said that in future, animals should be branded on their legs, if it had to be done, at all. On another occasion he saw somebody who had caught the young ones of a dove. He told him to set them free and not to torture the mother. Another thing of great importance which the Holy Prophet taught to the people was to work with their own hands. He himself set the example, by helping his wives in their house- hold duties. He milked his own goats. He carried stones when the mosque at Madinah was built. No work was beneath his dignity. He looked upon this world as a place in which one lives as a wayfarer. He said, ‘My case is like that of a traveller who stops at noon under the shade of a tree to rest for a while, before going