nor may a bond-woman be driven into immorality. Showing gentleness to beasts of burden—both when riding them and when loading them—is a duty established by the sunnah, for they are speechless creatures that cannot voice their pain, and they fall under a person’s lawful possession. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “For every living being with a moist liver there is a reward.” If kindness toward them earns reward, then mistreating them incurs sin. A camel once complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that its owner was starving it; he ﷺ ordered the man either to treat it well or sell it. One must not make an animal carry more than it can bear, strike its face, or use its back as a seat while it stands idle. Bells are not to be hung on their necks except in enemy territory as a means of intimidating the foe. Nor should they be worked at night unless they are allowed to rest during the day, and it is unlawful to keep a tethered animal from pasture. Inciting animals against one another is disliked, while stirring up conflict among human beings is a grave sin. The most detested of people to Allah, and the farthest from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, are those who walk about with malicious gossip, sow discord between loved ones, and search out the slips of the righteous. Seldom does a believer escape envy, superstitious omens, and suspicion altogether. Whoever feels envy but does not act upon it is not harmed by his envy, and whoever senses an ill omen should proceed with his business; the omen will not harm him unless he clings to it and believes in it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “An ill omen only befalls the one who acts upon it.” He ﷺ also said, “In…"