His saying, the Exalted: "Allah has not appointed a Bahirah, nor a Sa'ibah."

[The First Interpretation]

[6885] My father narrated to us, Yahya ibn Salih al-Wuhati narrated to us, Jurayj narrated to us, Abu Ishaq narrated from Abu al-Ahwas from his father, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in worn-out clothing. He said to me: "Do you have wealth?" I said: "Yes." He said: "From what type of wealth?" I said: "From all kinds of wealth: camels, sheep, horses, and slaves." He said: "If Allah has given you wealth, then let it be seen upon you." Then he said: "Do your camels give birth, their ears intact?" I said: "Yes." He said: "Do camels produce offspring otherwise?" He said: "Perhaps you take a blade and cut the ears of a group of them and say: 'This is a Bahirah,' and split the ears of a group of them and say: 'This is Haram (forbidden)'?" I said: "Yes." He said: "Do not do that, for everything Allah has brought to you is permissible for you." Then he said: "'Allah has not appointed a Bahirah, nor a Sa'ibah, nor a Wasilah, nor a Hami.' As for the Bahirah, it is the one whose ears you mutilate, so that neither his wife, nor his daughters, nor anyone from his household may benefit from its wool, its fur, its hair, or its milk. Then when it dies, they all share in it."

[6886] Abu Sa‘id al-Ashajj narrated to us, ‘Amr al-‘Anqazi narrated to us from Isra’il from Ishaq from Abu al-Ahwas, regarding "Allah has not appointed a Bahirah, nor a Sa'ibah, nor a Wasilah, nor a Hami." He said: The Bahirah is the she-camel that has given birth to five generations, so he dedicates it to his gods; neither his wife, nor his sister, nor any relative may drink of its milk, nor may they benefit from anything of its fur, and it is not prevented from forage or water. Then when it dies, they are all equal regarding it.

[The Second Interpretation]

[6887] My father narrated to us, Abu Salih, the scribe of al-Layth, narrated to us, Mu‘awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talhah from Ibn ‘Abbas, regarding his saying: "Allah has not appointed a Bahirah, nor a Sa'ibah." As for the Bahirah, it is the she-camel that, when it has produced five generations, they look at the fifth. If it is a male, they slaughter it, and the men eat it to the exclusion of the women. And if it is a female, they mutilate its ears and say: "This is a Bahirah."

[6888] Ahmad ibn ‘Uthman ibn Hakim informed me in writing, Ahmad ibn al-Mufaddal narrated to us, Asbat narrated to us from al-Suddi, regarding his saying: "Allah has not appointed a Bahirah." The Bahirah from among the camels was a she-camel that, when it had produced five generations, if the fifth was a male, they would slaughter it and present it as an offering to their gods, and its mother was among the general herd of camels.