Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: We were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he went out to relieve himself. We saw a red sparrow that had two chicks with her and we took her chicks, so the sparrow started to flap her wings. The Prophet came to us, saying, “Who has upset her by taking her children? Give her children back to her!” The Prophet also saw an ant colony which we had burned, saying, “Who burned this?” We said that we did it. The Prophet said, “No one should punish with fire except the Lord of the fire.”
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5268
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Nawawi
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن مسعود قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي سَفَرٍ فَانْطَلَقَ لِحَاجَتِهِ فَرَأَيْنَا حُمَّرَةً مَعَهَا فَرْخَانِ فَأَخَذْنَا فَرْخَيْهَا فَجَاءَتْ الْحُمَرَةُ فَجَعَلَتْ تُفَرِّشُ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ مَنْ فَجَعَ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا رُدُّوا وَلَدَهَا إِلَيْهَا وَرَأَى قَرْيَةَ نَمْلٍ قَدْ حَرَّقْنَاهَا فَقَالَ مَنْ حَرَّقَ هَذِهِ قُلْنَا نَحْنُ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُعَذِّبَ بِالنَّارِ إِلَّا رَبُّ النَّارِ
5268 سنن أبي داود أبواب النوم باب في قتل الذر
519 المحدث النووي خلاصة حكم المحدث إسناده صحيح في تحقيق رياض الصالحين
