Anas told that one morning he took ‘Abdallah b. Abu Talha to God’s messenger for him to chew something and rub his palate with it,* and found him with a branding-iron in his hand branding the camels of the sadaqa.
*This was a custom for the purpose of acquiring a blessing for children.
Hisham b. Zaid quoted Anas as saying that he went to visit the Prophet when he was in an enclosure and saw him branding sheep. He thought he said it was on their ears.
