Ibn ‘Abbas told on Maimuna’s authority that one morning God’s messenger was silent with grief, and said, “Gabriel promised to meet me last night, but he did not do so. I swear by God that he has never broken his promise before.” He then thought of a puppy which he had seen under a (Fustat Mirqat, iv, 484 considers that here it means a couch) tent of his, and when he had given orders and had it put out he took some water in his hand and sprinkled the place where it had been. In the evening Gabriel met him and he said, “You promised to meet me yesterday,” to which he replied, “Yes, but we do not enter a house which contains a dog or a picture.” So next morning God’s messenger ordered that dogs should be killed, even to the extent of ordering that dogs which guarded small gardens should be killed, but leaving out of account those which guarded large gardens.
Muslim transmitted it.
She told that she bought a cushion on which were pictures, and when God’s messenger saw it he stopped at the door and did not enter. Seeing the signs of disapproval in his face she said, “Messenger of God, I repent towards God and His messenger. What have I done wrong ?” He asked, “What is the meaning of this cushion ?” and when she replied that she had bought it for him to sit and recline on he said, “The people who make these pictures will be punished on the day of resurrection and be told to bring to life what they have created,” adding, “The angels do not enter a house which contains a picture.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
