The Hadith: 'One who lives in the desert becomes rough'

Q 4: “One who lives in the desert becomes rough.” Is this an authentically reported Hadith?

A: It was mentioned in the book entitled “Kunuz Al-Haqa’iq Fi Hadith Khayr Al-Khala’iq”, footnote “Al-Jami‘ Al-Saghir”, vol. 2, p.97., with the following wording: “One who lives in the desert becomes rough and one who pursues the game becomes heedless (of worship).” (Reported by Al-Tabarany). It was reported also in Al-Jami‘ Al-Saghir with the commentary of Kunuz Al-Haqa’iq, vol. 2, p. 112, having the following wording: “One who lives in the desert becomes rough.” It was reported by Imam Ahmad on the authority of Al-Bara’ and Al-Suyuty said that it is Hasan (a Hadith whose chain of narration contains a narrator with weak exactitude, but is free from eccentricity or blemish.). It was reported with the wording: “One who lives in the desert becomes rough; one who pursues the game becomes heedless (of worship); and one who comes to the gates of the sultan falls into Fitnah (temptation).” He also stated that Al-Tabarany reported it in his book Al-Kabir on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas and said that it is Hadith Hasan. Abu Dawud said: Musaddad reported on the authority of Yahya from Sufyan from Abu Musa from Wahb Ibn Munabbih who reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said - the narrator Sufyan remarked: I only know of it as a Hadith reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) - who said: “One who lives in the desert becomes rough; one who pursues the game becomes heedless (of worship); and one who comes to the gates of the sultan falls into Fitnah (temptation).”