Hadith 17 of Imam An-Nawawi’s Collection – JSS3 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

Hadith 17 of Imam An-Nawawi’s collection teaches that Allah has prescribed excellence (ihsan) in all things, including the way animals are slaughtered for food.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State the text of Hadith 17 and name the companion who narrated it and the scholar who reported it.
2. Explain the meaning of ihsan (excellence).
3. List ways of showing kindness to an animal that is to be slaughtered.
4. Give examples of how to practise ihsan at home, in school and in society.
5. Retell the stories of the Prophet’s compassion for animals.

What is the 40 Hadith of Imam An-Nawawi?

The 40 Hadith of Imam An-Nawawi is a collection of forty-two short sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) chosen for their basic teachings on Islam.

• Compiler: Imam An-Nawawi, a respected Muslim scholar of hadith and Islamic law.
• Content: each hadith carries a key teaching on belief, worship or good character.
• Hadith 17: focuses on excellence, kindness and good behaviour toward all living things.
• Use: students memorise these hadith and apply them in daily life.

What is the text of Hadith 17?

Hadith 17 is the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) on excellence in all things, narrated by Abu Ya’la Shaddad bin Aws.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Verily, Allah has prescribed excellence (ihsan) in all things. So if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.”

• Narrated by: Abu Ya’la Shaddad bin Aws, a companion of the Prophet.
• Reported by: Imam Muslim.

What are the word meanings in Hadith 17?

The key words in Hadith 17 are prescribed, ihsan, slaughter, sharpen, spare and suffering.

• Prescribed: made something a rule or law.
• Excellence (Ihsan): doing something in the best possible way.
• Slaughter: to kill an animal for food in the Islamic way.
• Sharpen: to make a knife or blade very sharp.
• Spare: to save someone from something bad.
• Suffering: pain or discomfort.

What is the chain of narration of Hadith 17?

The chain of narration is the line of people who passed the hadith down from the Prophet to the book where it is written.

1. Abu Ya’la Shaddad bin Aws heard the saying from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
2. Shaddad bin Aws was a companion of the Prophet.
3. Imam Muslim recorded the hadith in his collection, one of the most trusted books of hadith.

What is ihsan?

Ihsan is doing every task in the best way, with care and attention, and not only correctly.

Ihsan applies to every area of life:

What does Hadith 17 teach about kindness to animals?

Hadith 17 teaches that even when an animal is killed for food, the person must cause it as little pain as possible.

Ways of showing kindness when slaughtering an animal

• Sharp knife: use a very sharp blade so the process is quick.
• Little pain: avoid all unnecessary pain.
• Respect: handle the animal gently.
• Out of sight: do not slaughter an animal in front of other animals.
• Water: give the animal water before slaughter.
• Bismillah: say “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah) before slaughtering.

How can we apply Hadith 17?

We apply Hadith 17 by doing every duty well and being kind to people and animals.

In our personal lives

• Do our best in everything, big or small.
• Complete tasks properly instead of rushing.
• Be kind to pets and all animals we meet.
• Show excellence in character and behaviour.

In our family

• Treat family members with kindness and respect.
• Do household chores with care.
• Teach children to be gentle with animals.
• Speak well to parents, spouses and children.

In school or at work

• Study or work with full effort and attention.
• Help others to do things in the best way.
• Avoid shortcuts that reduce quality.
• Show excellence in teamwork.

In society

• Build and maintain things properly.
• Treat public property with care.
• Follow rules that protect animals and nature.
• Show kindness to all people, even strangers.

What stories are related to Hadith 17?

Two well-known stories show the Prophet’s compassion for animals: the sheep and the knife, and the woman and the cat.

The man, the sheep and the knife

• The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw a man who had laid a sheep down and was sharpening his knife in front of it.
• He said, “Do you want to kill it twice? Why did you not sharpen your knife before laying it down?”
• Lesson: sharpen the knife beforehand so the animal does not suffer or fear.

The woman and the cat

• The Prophet (peace be upon him) told of a woman who locked up a cat without food or water until it died.
• Because of this cruelty, she was punished.
• He also told of a man who gave water to a thirsty dog, and Allah rewarded and forgave him.
• Lesson: how we treat animals matters to Allah.

What lessons do we learn from Hadith 17?

Hadith 17 teaches five main lessons.

1. Excellence is an Islamic duty: Islam asks us to do things well.
2. Kindness extends to all creatures: good behaviour includes how we treat animals.
3. Small details matter: even sharpening a knife is important in Islam.
4. Mercy is central to Islam: being merciful to all living things is part of our faith.
5. Actions reflect character: how we treat those weaker than us shows the kind of person we are.

Evaluation

1. Who narrated Hadith 17, and who reported it?
2. Define ihsan in one sentence.
3. State four ways of showing kindness to an animal that is to be slaughtered.
4. What did the Prophet say to the man sharpening his knife in front of a sheep?
5. Give two ways of practising ihsan in school.

Assignment

Write out the text of Hadith 17, name the companion who narrated it, and list four ways of showing kindness to an animal when slaughtering it.