Hadith 15:199
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during a journey. He went to ease himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came and said: Who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it. He also saw an ant village that we had burnt. He asked: Who has burnt this? We replied: We. He said: It is not proper to punish with fire except the Lord of fire.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَالِحٍ، مَحْبُوبُ بْنُ مُوسَى أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الْفَزَارِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ سَعْدٍ، - قَالَ غَيْرُ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، - عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفَرٍ فَانْطَلَقَ لِحَاجَتِهِ فَرَأَيْنَا حُمَّرَةً مَعَهَا فَرْخَانِ فَأَخَذْنَا فَرْخَيْهَا فَجَاءَتِ الْحُمَّرَةُ فَجَعَلَتْ تَفْرُشُ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " مَنْ فَجَعَ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا رُدُّوا وَلَدَهَا إِلَيْهَا " . وَرَأَى قَرْيَةَ نَمْلٍ قَدْ حَرَّقْنَاهَا فَقَالَ " مَنْ حَرَّقَ هَذِهِ " . قُلْنَا نَحْنُ . قَالَ " إِنَّهُ لاَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُعَذِّبَ بِالنَّارِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ النَّارِ "
Original Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 2675