The Pigeons

الْحَمَامُ مِنْ طُيُورِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع.

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘Pigeons are the birds of the Prophets, ‘Alayhim al- Salam.”’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ حَمَامٍ كَانَ بِمَكَّةَ حَمَامٌ لِإِسْمَاعِيلَ ع.

‘The first pigeon in Makkah was the pigeon of Tsma‘il ‘Alayhi al-Salam.’”

إِنَّ أَصْلَ حَمَامِ الْحَرَمِ بَقِيَّةُ حَمَامٍ كَانَ لِإِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع اتَّخَذَهَا كَانَ يَأْنَسُ بِهَا فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ تَتَّخِذَ طَيْراً مَقْصُوصاً تَأْنَسُ بِهِ مَخَافَةَ الْهَوَامِّ.

‘The real free pigeon remaining is the pigeon that belonged to Tsma‘il ibn Ibrahim, ‘Alayhima al-Salam, who kept it for comfort. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is preferable to keep a bird with clipped wings for comfort and for (to dispel) fear from vermin.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ هَذِهِ الْحَمَامُ حَمَامُ الْحَرَمِ هِيَ مِنْ نَسْلِ حَمَامِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع الَّتِي كَانَتْ لَهُ.

‘These pigeons -the pigeons of al-Haram (the sacred area) - are of the offspring of the pigeon of Tsma‘il ibn Ibrahim, ‘Alayhima al-Salam, that belonged to him.’”

لَيْسَ مِنْ بَيْتٍ فِيهِ حَمَامٌ إِلَّا لَمْ يُصِبْ أَهْلَ ذَلِكَ الْبَيْتِ آفَةٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ إِنَّ سُفَهَاءَ الْجِنِّ يَعْبَثُونَ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَيَعْبَثُونَ بِالْحَمَامِ وَ يَتْرُكُونَ الْإِنْسَانَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A house in which pigeons exist, the people of that house do not receive any harm from Jinn. The dimwitted Jinns play in the house, thus they play with pigeons and the people are left alone.’”

شَكَا رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص الْوَحْشَةَ فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ فِي بَيْتِهِ زَوْجَ حَمَامٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a man complained before the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, about loneliness and fear. He (the Messenger of Allah) commanded him to keep a pair of pigeons in his house.’”

ذُكِرَتِ الْحَمَامُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ اتَّخِذُوهَا فِي مَنَازِلِكُمْ فَإِنَّهَا مَحْبُوبَةٌ لَحِقَتْهَا دَعْوَةُ نُوحٍ ع وَ هِيَ آنَسُ شَيْ‌ءٍ فِي الْبُيُوتِ.

“I once mentioned pigeons before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he (the Imam) said, ‘You can keep them in your homes; it is a lovely (hobby). The prayer of Nuh (Noah) (a.s.), has arrived at them. It is the most comforting thing in the house.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ الْحَمَامُ طَيْرٌ مِنْ طُيُورِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع- الَّتِي كَانُوا يُمْسِكُونَ فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ وَ لَيْسَ مِنْ بَيْتٍ فِيهِ حَمَامٌ إِلَّا لَمْ تُصِبْ أَهْلَ ذَلِكَ الْبَيْتِ آفَةٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ إِنَّ سُفَهَاءَ الْجِنِّ يَعْبَثُونَ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَيَعْبَثُونَ بِالْحَمَامِ وَ يَدَعُونَ النَّاسَ قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُ فِي بُيُوتِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع حَمَاماً لِابْنِهِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ.

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that pigeons are of the birds of the Prophets, ‘Alayhim al- Salam, who kept them in their homes. Any home in which there is a pigeon, the people therein are not harmed by the dimwitted ones of Jinn who plays in the house, thus they play with the pigeons and leave the people alone.’ I t

قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع وَ نَظَرَ إِلَى حَمَامٍ فِي بَيْتِهِ مَا مِنِ انْتِفَاضٍ يَنْتَفِضُ بِهَا إِلَّا نَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مَنْ دَخَلَ الْبَيْتَ مِنْ عُزْمَةِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ‌[1].

9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn Yahya from his grandfather al-Hassan ibn Rashid from Ya‘qub ibn Ja‘far who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), looked at pigeons in his house and said, ‘With every vibration that it causes, Allah thereby dispels from the house

كُنْتُ جَالِساً فِي بَيْتِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى حَمَامٍ رَاعِبِيٍ‌[2] يُقَرْقِرُ طَوِيلًا فَنَظَرَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ يَا دَاوُدُ تَدْرِي مَا يَقُولُ هَذَا الطَّيْرُ قُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ يَدْعُو عَلَى قَتَلَةِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع فَاتَّخِذُوا فِي مَنَازِلِكُمْ.

“I once was sitting in the house of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I looked at a pigeon of Ra’‘ibiy kind (name of a place) that made a long sound. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), looked at me and asked, ‘O Dawud, do you know what this bird says?’ I said, ‘No, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’ He (the Imam)

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ حَفِيفَ أَجْنِحَةِ الْحَمَامِ‌[3] لَتَطْرُدُ الشَّيَاطِينَ.

I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘The sound of the wings of pigeon dispels the devils.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَدْفَعُ بِالْحَمَامِ عَنْ هَدَّةِ الدَّارِ[4].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, with pigeons, keeps a house safe from crumbling down.’”

اتَّخِذُوا الْحَمَامَ الرَّاعِبِيَّةَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ فَإِنَّهَا تَلْعَنُ قَتَلَةَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ع وَ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ قَاتِلَهُ

‘You must keep al-Ra’‘ibiy pigeon in your homes because it condemns the murderers of al-Husayn ibn Ali, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, and Allah has condemned his killer.’”

اسْتَهْدَانِي إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَأَهْدَيْتُ لَهُ طَيْراً رَاعِبِيّاً فَدَخَلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ اجْعَلُوا هَذَا الطَّيْرَ الرَّاعِبِيَّ مَعِي فِي الْبَيْتِ يُؤْنِسُنِي قَالَ وَ قَالَ عُثْمَانُ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ حَمَامٌ يَفُتُّ لَهُنَّ خُبْزاً.

“’Isma‘il ibn abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked me for a gift and I gave him a Ra’Tbiy bird (a pigeon). Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), came in and said, ‘Keep this al-Ra’‘ibiy bird in the house with me for comfort.’ ‘Uthman has said, ‘I once visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when in front of him there was a pigeon for which he (the Im

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَرَأَيْتُ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ ثَلَاثَ حَمَامَاتٍ خُضْرٍ قَدْ ذَرَقْنَ عَلَى الْفِرَاشِ‌[2] فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْحَمَامُ تَقْذَرُ الْفِرَاشَ فَقَالَ لَا إِنَّهُ يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ تُسْكَنَ فِي الْبَيْتِ.

“I once went to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I saw three green pigeons on his furnishing which had made droppings on the furnishings and I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, these pigeons have dirtied the furnishings.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is preferable that they stay inside th

كَانَ فِي مَنْزِلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص زَوْجُ حَمَامٍ أَحْمَرُ.

there was a pair of red pigeons.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ احْتَفَرَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع بِئْراً فَرَمَوْا فِيهَا فَأُخْبِرَ بِذَلِكَ فَجَاءَ حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَ لَتَكُفُّنَّ أَوْ لَأُسْكِنَنَّهَا الْحَمَامَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ حَفِيفَ أَجْنِحَتِهَا تَطْرُدُ الشَّيَاطِينَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin had dug a well, then they threw things in it and it was reported to him (the Imam). He went, stood on the well and said, ‘You must stop throwing things in it, otherwise, I will make the pigeons to use it as their living place.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘T

ذُكِرَ الْحَمَامُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ عُمَرَ رَأَى حَمَاماً يَطِيرُ وَ رَجُلٌ تَحْتَهُ يَعْدُو فَقَالَ عُمَرُ شَيْطَانٌ يَعْدُو تَحْتَهُ شَيْطَانٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا كَانَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ عِنْدَكُمْ فَقِيلَ صِدِّيقٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ بَقِيَّةَ حَمَامِ الْحَرَمِ مِنْ حَمَامِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ.

“Once, pigeons were mentioned before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and a man said, ‘It has come to my knowledge that once ‘Umar saw a pigeon flying and a man underneath was running. ‘Umar then said, “One Satan runs under another Satan.” Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘(It is because) Tsma‘il was not there with you.’ Someon

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ الرِّضَا ع عَنِ الزَّوْجِ مِنَ الْحَمَامِ يُفْرِخُ عِنْدَهُ يَتَزَوَّجُ الطَّيْرُ أُمَّهُ وَ ابْنَتَهُ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِمَا كَانَ بَيْنَ الْبَهَائِمِ.

“Once a man asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a pair of pigeons which hatched chicks with him; if a bird can mate a mother bird or daughter bird. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful with what is in animals.’”