“The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was stung by a scorpion while he was praying, and he said:
‘May Allah curse the scorpion; it spares neither the one who is praying nor the one who is not praying. Kill it, whether in the sacred precinct or outside of it.’”
Narrated by Ibn Mājah (no. 1246) and al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ (no. 7329), from the hadīth of ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
With a similar wording, it was also narrated by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Ṣaghīr (no. 830) and by Ibn Abī Shaybah (no. 23553) from the hadīth of ‘Alī (may Allah be pleased with him).
It includes an addition: “Then he called for salt and water, placed them in a vessel, then poured it over his finger where he had been bitten, wiped it, and sought protection for it using the Mu‘awwidhatayn.”
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi‘(No. 5098) and in Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah (No. 547).
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
He—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—was a human being who was afflicted by what afflicts people of harm. In this ḥadīth, ʿĀʾishah—may Allah be pleased with her—relates that the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—was stung by a scorpion while he was in prayer. Thereupon, he supplicated against it, invoking banishment, saying: “May Allah curse the scorpion,” on account of the harm and viciousness inherent in it, for it does not withhold its harm from anyone—whether one engaged in prayer or not—as he said: “It does not spare the one praying nor the one not praying.” Then he said: “Kill it in the ḥill and the ḥaram,” meaning: whether a person is in a state of iḥrām or not, and whether he is within the Sacred Precinct or outside of it, it is to be killed unconditionally due to the severity of its harm. For this reason, its killing was legislated even if a person is in prayer, provided it can be done with slight movement. If it requires excessive movement, he is to discontinue the prayer in order to ward off its harm. This is further supported by his statement: “Kill the two black creatures during prayer: the snake and the scorpion.” And in another narration, it is reported that he—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—called for salt and water, poured it over the site of the sting, and began reciting al-Muʿawwidhatayn.
In the ḥadīth there is evidence of the preservation of life, that repelling harm takes precedence, and that the Sharīʿah has taken into consideration the welfare of the servants even while they are engaged in acts of worship.
In it there is also the permissibility of invoking a curse upon harmful creatures—even if they be from among the children of Ādam—though not by way of specifying a particular individual.
The ḥadīth likewise demonstrates the legitimacy of seeking treatment and combining between tangible means and prescribed spiritual means; for the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—combined between treatment with water and salt and recitation of al-Muʿawwidhatayn, thereby affirming the taking of means while placing reliance upon Allah, the Exalted.