Muhammad Ibn Ahmad At-Tuisirkani writes:

في كتاب فضل الكلاب على كثير ممن لبس الثياب لمحمد بن خلف المرزُبان عن عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده قال: رأى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله رجلا مقتولا فقال ما شأنه وقالوا إنه وثب على غنم بني زهرة فأخذ منها شاة فوثب عليه كلب الماشية فقتله فقال صلى الله عليه وآله: قتل نفسه وأضاع ديته وعصى ربه وخان أخاه وكان الكلب خيرا منه

“In the book Fadl-ul-Kilab Ala Kathir Mim-Man Labisa th-Thiyab of Muhammad Ibn Khalaf Al-Marzuban, it is reported from Amr Ibn Shu’aib, who reported from his father, who reported from his grandfather, that he said: “The Prophet (s.) saw someone being killed, whereupon he said: “What is the matter with him?” And they said: “He went after the sheep of the children of Zuhrah, whereupon he stole a sheep from them. Then a shepherd dog came upon him, whereupon he killed him.” Thus the Prophet (s.) said: “He killed himself, atoned for his sins, disobeyed his Lord and betrayed his brother, and the dog is better than he is.”

وقال ابن عباس كلب أمين خير من صاحب خؤون قال وكان للحرث بن صعصعة ندماء لا يفارقهم وكان شديد المحبة لهم فخرج في بعض متنزهاته ومعه ندماء فتخلف منهم واحد فدخل على زوجته فأكلا وشربا ثم اضطجعا فوثب الكلب عليهما فقتلهما فلما رجع الحرث إلى منزله وجدهما ميتين فعرف الأمر فأنشأ يقول فيا عجبا للخل يهتك حرمتي ويا عجبا للكلب كيف يصون وما زال يرعى ذمتي ويحوطني ويحفظ عرسي والخليل يخون

Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: “A faithful dog is better than a deceitful companion.” He said: “Harth Ibn Sa’sah had close friends from whose side he did not leave and he loved them very much. So he went out on some of his walks with his close friends. However, one of them stayed behind. So he entered the house of the wife of Harth, whereupon both of them ate and drank. Then they laid down. So the dog attacked them and killed them. When Harth returned to his home, he found the two dead. Then he knew about the matter and began to speak: “What a surprise about a close friend who violates my sanctuary. What a surprise about a dog, how he protects, always watches over my honor, takes care of me and guards my wife, while the close friend cheats.”

وفي بعض نسخ الحديث قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله ينبغي للمؤمن أن يكون أخلاقه كأخلاق الكلب ففيه خمسة أخلاق أولها يكون جائعا أبدا وهذا من أخلاق الصالحين والثاني لا يكون له موضع وهذا من آثار الصالحين والثالث لا ينام بالليل وهذا من أفعال الصالحين والرابع لا يكون له مال حتى يورثه الوارث وهذا معيش الصالحين والخامس لا يهادق (لا يفارق) باب صاحبه وإن طرده في يوم مائة مرة وهذا من وفاء الصالحين

In some traditional copies, the Prophet said: “The characteristics of a believer should be like the characteristics of a dog that has five characteristics. The first of them is that he always feels hunger and this is one of the characteristics of those who do good. The second is that he has no place and this is one of the traces of those who do good. The third is that he does not spend the night sleeping and this is one of the deeds of those who do good. The fourth is that he has no property, so that he leaves it to the heir, and this is the way of life of those who do good. The fifth is that he does not separate himself from the door of his master, even if he threw him out a hundred times in one day, and that is part of the faithfulness of those who do good.”

وقال علي بن أبي طالب عليهما السلام طوبى لمن كان عيشه كعيش الكلب وفيه عشر خصال الأولى ليس له مال الثانية ليس له قدر والثالثة الأرض بيت له الرابعة أكثر أوقاته يكون جائعا الخامسة أكثر أوقاته يكون ساكتا والسادسة يحول حول البيت بالليل والنهار والسابعة يقنع بما يدفع إليه والثامنة لو ضربه صاحبه مائة جلدة لم يترك باب دار صاحبه والتاسعة يأخذ عدو صاحبه ولا يأخذ صديقه العاشرة إذا مات لم يترك من الميراث شيئا

Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.) said: “Blessed is he whose way of life was like the way of life of a dog, which has ten features. The first one is that he does not possess any property. The second is that he is not of any rank. The third is that the earth is a home for him. The fourth is that he feels hunger most of the time. The fifth is that he is quiet most of his time. The sixth is that he roams around the home day and night. The seventh is that he is content with what is left to him. The eighth is that if his master scourged him with a hundred lashes, he would not leave the door of his master’s house. The ninth consists in seizing the enemy of his master, while he does not seize his friend. The tenth consists in the fact that when he died, he left nothing in inheritance.” [La’ali’-ul-Akhbar, Volume 5, Pages 387-389]

 

Muhammad Taqi Al-Jawahiri writes:

محمد بن خلف مجهول روى عدة روايات في بعضها اختلاف

“Muhammad Ibn Khalaf is unknown (Majhul). He narrated a number of traditions, a part of which is inconsistent.” [Al-Mufid Min Mu’jam Rijali l-Hadith, page 525, number 10734]