Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، قَالَ يَقُولُ النَّاسُ الصَّفَرُ وَجَعٌ يَأْخُذُ فِي الْبَطْنِ . قُلْتُ فَمَا الْهَامَةُ قَالَ يَقُولُ النَّاسُ الْهَامَةُ الَّتِي تَصْرُخُ هَامَةُ النَّاسِ وَلَيْسَتْ بِهَامَةِ الإِنْسَانِ إِنَّمَا هِيَ دَابَّةٌ .
People said: safar is a pain within the belly. I asked: What is hamah ? He said: People said (believed) that hamah which is an owl or a nightbird and which shrieks is the spirit of men. It is not the spirit of men. It is an animal.