The Lark

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has narrated from his father this Hadith. ’Do not use lark for food, do not abuse it and do not give it to children to play with; it says Tasbih a great deal and it is, ‘O Allah, condemn those who hate Muhammad and his family, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.’”

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), has said, ‘I do not work in plantation for gains except that I want this gain for the destitute, the needy and especially for the lark among birds/”

“I once heard abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), saying, ’Do not kill the lark and do not use its flesh for food, because it says a great deal of Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) and at the end it says, ‘May Allah condemn those who hate the family of Muhammad, ‘Alayhim al-Salam.’”

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said that Ali ibn al-Husayn, has said, ‘The crest on the head of lark is because of wiping of Solomon ibn David (a.s.). It happened when the male lark wanted to mount the female (and) she refused. The male said, ‘Do not refuse because I want that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, to give us the offspring because of which you will be remembered.’ The female then agreed. When it was to lay eggs the male asked, ‘Where do you want to lay eggs?’ The female replied, ‘I do not know. Can I lay the eggs away from the road?’ The male said, ‘I am afraid of bypassers, however, I think you should lay eggs near the road and those who see you may think that you are picking grains from the road.’ The female agreed and laid the eggs; then sat on them to hatch until they were about to hatch that Solomon son of David (a.s.), with his army, while birds forming shadow on him, appeared. The female said, ‘This is Solomon coming to us with his army and I do not feel safe for my eggs being crushed under their feet.’ The male said, ‘Solomon is a kind man. Do you have anything which you may have saved for your baby larks when they are hatched to offer him as present?’ The female replied, ‘Yes, it is a locust that I had hidden from you for the baby larks when they are hatched; but do you have anything for a present?’ The male replied, ‘Yes, it is a date that I had hidden from you for the bay larks.’ The female said, ‘You take your date and I take my locust to present them to Solomon ‘Alayhi al-Salam, he is a man who loves presents. The male took the date in its beak and the female took the locust in its paws and appeared before Solomon. When he saw them he was on his throne. He extended his hands for them. The male sat on his right hand and the female on his left hand. He asked how they were doing and they informed him. He accepted their gift and asked his army to be careful about their eggs. He wiped their heads and prayed for them for blessing. The crest on their head is because of the wiping of Solomon (a.s.).’”