حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ عَنْ مَالِکٍ عَنْ سُمَيٍّ مَوْلَی أَبِي بَکْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ بَيْنَا رَجُلٌ بِطَرِيقٍ اشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَطَشُ فَوَجَدَ بِئْرًا فَنَزَلَ فِيهَا فَشَرِبَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَإِذَا کَلْبٌ يَلْهَثُ يَأْکُلُ الثَّرَی مِنْ الْعَطَشِ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ لَقَدْ بَلَغَ هَذَا الْکَلْبَ مِنْ الْعَطَشِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي کَانَ بَلَغَ مِنِّي فَنَزَلَ الْبِئْرَ فَمَلَا خُفَّهُ مَائً فَسَقَی الْکَلْبَ فَشَکَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ فَغَفَرَ لَهُ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّه وَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي الْبَهَائِمِ لَأَجْرًا فَقَالَ فِي کُلِّ ذَاتِ کَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ
صحیح بخاری · Hadith 2466
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way, there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst and came out. Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, "This dog is suffering from thirst as I did." So, he went down the well again and filled his shoe with water and watered it. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him. The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?" He replied: "Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate (living being)." (See Hadith No. 551)
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020