-3. VOLUME – · 97 – THE PROHIBITION OF HUNTING AND UPROOTING TREES
Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, related:
We were returning with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, from Liyya (a hill), when we came to a cherry tree in Arabia. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stood on one side of Karn-i Aswad (a mountain), directly at the level of the mountain. He fixed his gaze towards the Nahb valley of Taif. The narrator said once that he mentioned "Taif Valley" instead of “Nahb.” He stood still, and stopped everyone with him. Then he said, "The game of Wadi al-Wajj and the plucking of thorny *‘izah* trees are forbidden. They have been made haram by Allah." This was before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, descended upon Taif and besieged it.
COMMENTARY:
Ahmed bin Hanbal, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioned this hadith in his Musnad with number 1416.
Liyya: A small hill near Taif. The top of this hill belongs to Taif, and its bottom belongs to Banu Nadir bin Muawiya.
Nahb: A valley in Taif.
Wajj: It is Taif itself. Some say it is the name of a valley there.
COMMENTARY: A thorny tree.
This ruling was before the siege of Taif. When Taif was besieged, its game and *‘izah* were made permissible, like other *hillbeld* cities. (Sharh-i Hatab)