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Throughout my reading on the internet about Arabian horses, I have come across many traditions incorrectly attributed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Quran verses that do not exist in the Holy Book. I always wondered what was the source from which these verses and the hadiths were quoted.
Therefore, I will provide the Arabian horse enthusiasts and all horse lovers with Prophet Muhammad's tradition (pbuh) and versus from the Holy Quran that mentioned horses and their merits. I will update this webpage constantly with all my findings. If you have any questions regarding Prophet Muhammad Tradition (pbuh) or verses from the Holy Quran, send me an email with your question(s).
Versus from The Holy Quran:
"Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: women and sons; heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world's life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (to return to)". Surat Al-i-'Imran, verse 14
"Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the Cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly". Surat Al-Anfal, verse 60.
"And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge." Surat An-Nahl, verse 8
"To Dawud We gave Sulaiman (for a son), how excellent in Our service! ever did he turn (to Us)! [31] Behold, there were brought before him, at eventide, coursers of the highest breeding, and swift of foot; [32] And he said, "Truly do I love the love of Good, with a view to the glory of my Lord," until (the sun) was hidden in the veil (of Night): [33] "Bring them back to me." Then began he to pass his hand over (their) legs and their necks." Surat Sad, verse 30 to verse 33
"[1] By the (Steeds) that run, with panting (breath), [2] And strike sparks of fire, [3] And push home the charge in the morning, [4] And raise the dust in clouds the while, [5] And penetrate forthwith into the midst (of the foe) en masse;" Surat Al-'Adiyat, verse 1 to verse 5.
Tradition of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):
Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: There will be great benefit in the forelock of horses until the Day of Judgment."
Abu Huraira has narrated that Prophet Muhammad said: "Keeping horses may be a source of reward to some (man), a shelter to another (i.e. means of earning one's living), or a burden to a third. He to whom the horse will be a source of reward is the one who keeps it in Allah's Cause (prepare it for holy battles) and ties it by a long rope in a pasture (or a garden). He will get a reward equal to what its long rope allows it to eat in the pasture or the garden, and if that horse breaks its rope and crosses one or two hills, then all its foot-steps and its dung will be counted as good deeds for its owner; and if it passes by a river and drinks from it, then that will also be regarded as a good deed for its owner even if he has had no intention of watering it then. Horses are a shelter from poverty to the second person who keeps horses for earning his living so as not to ask others, and at the same time he gives Allah's right (i.e. Rakat) (from the wealth he earns through using them in trading etc.,) and does not overburden them. He who keeps horses just out of pride and for showing off and as a means of harming the Muslims, his horses will be a source of sins to him."
Sahl has narrated that: "In our garden there was a horse belonging to the Prophet called Al-Luhaif or Al-Lakhif ."
Anas bin Malik has narrated that: "There was a feeling of fright in Medina, so the Prophet borrowed a horse called Mandub belonging 'to Abu Talha and mounted it. (On his return), he said, "I did not see anything of fright and I found this horse very fast."
Allah's Apostle fixed two shares for the horse and one share for its rider (from the war booty).
The Prophet said on the day (of the battle) of Badr: "This is Gabriel holding the head of his horse and equipped with arms for the battle."
Allah's Apostle said: "Horses are kept for one of three purposes: A man may keep them (for Allah's Cause) to receive a reward in the Hereafter; another may keep them as a means of protection; and a third may keep them to be a burden for him. As for the man for whom the horse is a source of reward, he is the one who ties it for Allah's Cause, and he ties it with a long rope in a pasture or a garden, then, whatever it eats or drinks in that pasture or garden will be added to his good deeds. And if it breaks its rope and jumps over one or two hills, then, for all its footsteps and its manure, good deeds will be written for him. And if it passes by a river and drinks of its water though its owner had no intention to water it from that river, even then he will have good deeds written for him. So that horse will be (a source of) reward for such a man. If a man ties a horse for earning his livelihood and abstaining from asking others for help and he does not forget Allah's right, i.e. pays its Zakat and gives it to be used in Allah's Cause, then that horse will be a means of protection for him. But if a man ties it out of pride and to show off and to excite others, then that horse will be a burden (of sins) for him."
Then Allah's Apostle was asked regarding donkeys. He replied: "Nothing has been revealed to me except this comprehensive Verse which includes everything:
'So whoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a smallest ant) shall see it; and whoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a smallest ant) shall see it.' (99.7-8)
The Prophet was the best among the people (both in shape and character) and was the most generous of them, and was the bravest of them. Once, during the night, the people of Medina got afraid (of a sound). So the people went towards that sound, but the Prophet having gone to that sound before them, met them while he was saying, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." (At that time) he was riding a horse belonging to Abu Talha and it was naked without a saddle, and he was carrying a sword slung at his neck. The Prophet said, "I found it (the horse) like a sea, or, it is the sea indeed."
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messsenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: "No Sadaqa is due from a Muslim on his slave or horse".
It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) allowed two shares from the spoils to the horseman and one share to the footman.
It has been narrated on the authority of Abn Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to dislike the Shikal horse.
Also, this tradition has been narrated on the authority of Sufyan with the addition from Abd ar-Razzaq (one of the narrators) explaining the meaning of shikal as a bone whose right back foot and left front foot or left back foot and right front foot are white.
He was only a servant (of Allah) receiving Commands from Him. He preached (the divine) message which he brought with him. He did not command anything to us (Banu Hashim) specially excluding other people except three points: he commanded us to perform ablution perfectly, and not to accept charity (sadaqah) and not to make pairing of donkey with horse.
Utbah heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: "Do not cut the forelocks, manes, or tails of horse, for their tails are their means of driving flies, their manes provide them with warmth, and blessing is tide to their forelocks."
Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said heard Said ibn al-Musayyab say, "There is no harm in placing stakes on horses if a third horse enters it. The winner takes the stake, and there is no fine against the loser."
Malik related to me from Zayd ibn Aslam that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Give to a beggar even if he comes on a horse."
It is also related that a companion of the Prophet, who was fond of horses, asked if there were any in Paradise. “If Allah causes thee to enter Paradise,” replied the Prophet, “thou wilt have a horse of rubies, furnished with two wings with which he will fly whithersoever thou willest.”
One tradition relates that, during the battle of Badr, the Prophet had a vision of Gabriel leading a horse by its reins, while two onlookers reported seeing a cloud from which came the neighing of horses and a voice calling “Forward Hayzum,” the name of Gabriel’s mount.
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Cradle of the Breed 