"And the safeguarding of livestock is the enclosure, and its safeguarding in the pasture is the shepherd and his general watch over them"
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The Shaykh : The author says "And the safeguarding of livestock is the enclosure", which is the plural of *sayr*. I think the *sayr* is known to you, everyone?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : They call them *sayran* or *zurbah*, right? It is a place where they put trees and tie some of them together, like a fence. Do you know what a fence is, or do you not know? Some people do not know what a fence is. They bring palm fronds; do you know what palm fronds are?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They use the fronds and stake them into the ground and tie some of them together with ropes. This is the enclosure. If someone goes out to the open land and sees it, there is no obstacle. In the morning, if you walk, you will see it.
He says "And the safeguarding of livestock is the enclosure, and its safeguarding in the pasture is the shepherd and his general watch over them". It is known that in the pasture, we do not put them in the enclosure. Why? Because they want to graze; they want to go out. Their safeguarding in the pasture is the shepherd. If we leave them to graze by themselves, going and coming, this is not a safeguard. The shepherd means that there must be a shepherd with them. The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that reaching the age of maturity and having intellect are not conditions for him, but there is a consideration here: is a young shepherd a safeguard? He is not a safeguard, because the lowest person can come and play with his mind and take what he wants, or take [the animals]. And the shepherd, because of his youth, may not be able to do anything. The shepherd must protect them, and he must watch over them generally. If the shepherd is sleeping here, is he a safeguard or not?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : He is not a safeguard if the sun rises, especially in winter, and he makes the pillow big and sleeps. Yes, this is not a safeguard. Or if he remains in one of the enclosures and leaves the sheep in another enclosure, is this a safeguard?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : No, why? Because he is not watching over them. The author says "generally," meaning it is not required that the shepherd always watches over them, because the shepherd may need to break his ablution, may need to pray, may need to eat, so he does not watch over them always. But if he watches over them generally, such that he is around them and encircles them, then that is considered a safeguard. The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that it is not required that there be a dog with the shepherd, and that is the case. Although the dog of the livestock safeguards them, or not? Yes, it protects them and safeguards them. For this reason, the Lawgiver permitted keeping a dog for the sake of the livestock, because some dogs are fiercer than an armed man. Some dogs, if a person comes to the sheep, they are done; they tear his skin and do not let him circle around the sheep. But the author’s words here indicate what? That it is not required that there be a dog with the shepherd, and that is the case.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : They call them *sayran* or *zurbah*, right? It is a place where they put trees and tie some of them together, like a fence. Do you know what a fence is, or do you not know? Some people do not know what a fence is. They bring palm fronds; do you know what palm fronds are?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They use the fronds and stake them into the ground and tie some of them together with ropes. This is the enclosure. If someone goes out to the open land and sees it, there is no obstacle. In the morning, if you walk, you will see it.
He says "And the safeguarding of livestock is the enclosure, and its safeguarding in the pasture is the shepherd and his general watch over them". It is known that in the pasture, we do not put them in the enclosure. Why? Because they want to graze; they want to go out. Their safeguarding in the pasture is the shepherd. If we leave them to graze by themselves, going and coming, this is not a safeguard. The shepherd means that there must be a shepherd with them. The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that reaching the age of maturity and having intellect are not conditions for him, but there is a consideration here: is a young shepherd a safeguard? He is not a safeguard, because the lowest person can come and play with his mind and take what he wants, or take [the animals]. And the shepherd, because of his youth, may not be able to do anything. The shepherd must protect them, and he must watch over them generally. If the shepherd is sleeping here, is he a safeguard or not?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : He is not a safeguard if the sun rises, especially in winter, and he makes the pillow big and sleeps. Yes, this is not a safeguard. Or if he remains in one of the enclosures and leaves the sheep in another enclosure, is this a safeguard?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : No, why? Because he is not watching over them. The author says "generally," meaning it is not required that the shepherd always watches over them, because the shepherd may need to break his ablution, may need to pray, may need to eat, so he does not watch over them always. But if he watches over them generally, such that he is around them and encircles them, then that is considered a safeguard. The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that it is not required that there be a dog with the shepherd, and that is the case. Although the dog of the livestock safeguards them, or not? Yes, it protects them and safeguards them. For this reason, the Lawgiver permitted keeping a dog for the sake of the livestock, because some dogs are fiercer than an armed man. Some dogs, if a person comes to the sheep, they are done; they tear his skin and do not let him circle around the sheep. But the author’s words here indicate what? That it is not required that there be a dog with the shepherd, and that is the case.