if a ḥadīth from the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is established, it has puzzled some scholars. Abū Dāwūd interpreted it by saying: "This ḥadīth is abridged, meaning whoever cuts down a lote tree in the wilderness that provides shade for travelers and animals without right, Allāh will direct his head into the fire." al-Ṭaḥāwī held that it is abrogated, arguing that ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr—one of the narrators of the ḥadīth—was reported to have cut down a lote tree. Then he narrated that with his isnād from him. Abū Dāwūd also recorded it (5241) in a more complete form through Ḥassān ibn Ibrāhīm, who said: I asked Hishām ibn ʿUrwah about cutting down the lote tree while he was leaning against ʿUrwah's palace. He said: Do you see these doors and gates? They are made from ʿUrwah's lote trees; ʿUrwah used to cut them from his land and said: There is no harm in it. He added in his narration: He said: O Iraqi, you have come to me with an innovation! I said: The innovation is from your side; I heard someone in Mecca say: The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) cursed whoever cuts down the lote tree. I said: Its isnād is good. It is explicit that ʿUrwah considered it permissible to cut down the lote tree. al-Ṭaḥāwī said: "Because ʿUrwah, with his integrity, knowledge, and esteemed position in knowledge, would not abandon something established to him from the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) to its opposite except for a compelling reason, so it is established by what we mentioned that the ḥadīth is abrogated." I said: What is more likely than all of this, in my view, is that the ḥadīth refers to cutting down the lote tree in the sanctuary, as indicated by the addition of al-Ṭabarānī in the ḥadīth of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ḥubshī, and thus the issue is resolved. And all praise is due to Allāh, by whose grace righteous deeds are completed.