Book 10: The Rites of Pilgrimage

‘Ali said : We wrote down nothing on the authority of God’s messenger but the Qur’an and what this document contains. He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Medina is sacred from ‘Air to Thaur, ( This phrase has been much discussed. ‘Air is known as a hill at Medina and Thaur at Mecca. Because of the difficulty some have suggested that Uhud should be read instead of Thaur, but others feel that that is unjustifiable.) so if anyone produces an innovation in it, or gives protection to an innovator, the curse of God, the angels, and all men will rest upon him, and no repentance or ransom (Lane in his Lexicon gives a variety of meanings for this phrase, la yuqbal minhu sarf wald 'adl. The one used above seems the most suitable here) will be accepted from him. The protection granted by Muslims is one and must be respected by the humblest of them, so if anyone breaks a covenant made by a Muslim the curse of God, the angels, and all men will rest upon him and no repentance or ransom will be accepted from him. If anyone gives the rights of inheritance to people without the permission of his masters, (This is explained in relation to a slave who has been set free, for the rights of inheritance still belong to his master who set him free. Cf. Book 12, ch. 6, third tradition) the curse of God, the angels, and all men will rest upon him, and no repentance or ransom will be accepted from him.’’ Bukhari and Muslim. A version given by both of them says, “ If anyone makes a false claim to paternity or to being a client, the curse of God, the angels and all men will rest upon him, and no repentance or ransom will be accepted from him.”

Sa‘d reported God’s messenger as saying, “I declare sacred the territory between the two lava plains of Medina, so that its large thorn trees may not be cut down, or its game killed.” He also said, “Medina is best for them if they only knew. No one leaves it through dislike of it without God putting in it someone better than he in place of him, and no one will remain there in spite of its hardship and distress without my being an intercessor (or witness) on his behalf on the day of resurrection." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "No one from among my people will endure the hardship and rigour of Medina without my being an intercessor on his behalf on the day of resurrection." Muslim transmitted it.

He told that when the people saw the first fruits they brought them to the Prophet, and when he received them he said, "O God, bless us in our fruits; bless us in our city; bless us in our sa‘; and bless us in our mudd. O God, Abraham was Thy servant, friend and prophet, and I am Thy servant and prophet. He made supplication to Thee on behalf of Mecca, and I make on behalf of Medina the same supplication as he made on behalf of Mecca and as much again." He would then call to him the youngest child and give him those fruits. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, "Abraham declared Mecca sacred and made it a sacred area, and I declare Medina to be sacred throughout the area between its two mountain paths, so that no blood may be shed in it, weapons may not be carried in it for fighting, and leaves may not be beaten off trees in it except for fodder." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Amir b. Sa'd said that Sa‘d rode to his castle in al-'Aqiq and found a salve cutting down trees, or beating off their leaves, so he took what was on him. When Sa'd returned, the slave’s people came to him and asked him to return to their servant or to them what he had taken from their servant, but he replied, "God forbid that I should return anything which God’s messenger has given me as spoil;" and he refused to return it to them. Muslim transmitted it.

‘A'isha said: When God’s messenger came to Medina Abu Bakr and Bilal were prostrated with fever and when I went to God’s messenger and told him he said, "O God, make Medina as dear to us as Mecca, or more so, make it healthy, bless us in its sa' and its mudd, and transfer its fever and put it in al-Juhfa." Bukhari and Muslim.

'Abdallah b. ‘Umar told of the vision the Prophet (ﷺ) had about Medina. He said, “I saw a black woman with dishevelled hair go out of Medina and settle at Mahya'a, and interpreted it as meaning that the pestilence of Medina had been transferred to Mahya'a, which is al-Juhfa.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Sufyan b. Abu Zuhair told of hearing God’s messenger say, "The Yemen will be conquered and- people will come driving their camels gently, removing their families and those who are under their authority, but Medina would be best for them if they only knew. Syria will be conquered and people will come driving their camels gently, removing their families and those who are under their authority, but Medina would be best for them if they only knew. ‘Iraq will be conquered and people will come driving their camels gently, removing their families and those who are under their authority, but Medina would be best for them if they only knew.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, " I have been commanded to go to a town which will devour all towns. People call it Yathrib, but it is Medina. It drives away people as the bellows drives away the impurity of iron.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Jabir b. Samura told that he heard God’s messenger say, “God called Medina Taba.”( Taj al-'Arus says the objection to the name Yathrib was owing to the fact that the root from which this name comes has the meaning of corruption. Therefore Taba, which comes from a root meaning to be good, sweet, or pure, was considered better. Other forms which have been used are Taiba, al-Mutayyaba (or al-Mutayyiba)) Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir b. ‘Abdallah told of a desert Arab who had sworn allegiance to God’s messenger, but who, when he suffered from a bout of fever in Medina, came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "Cancel my oath of allegiance, Muhammad;” but God’s messenger refused. He came again with the same request and again he refused. He came once more with the same request, and when he again refused, the desert Arab went off. God’s messenger then said, "Medina is like bellows which drives away its impurity and purifies what is good in it.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “The last hour will not come before Medina drives away its wicked people as the bellows drives away the impurity of iron." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “There are angels on the mountain roads of Medina, so neither plague nor the dajjal can enter it.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “There is no town on which the dajjal will not tread, with the exception of Mecca and Medina. There is none of its mountain paths which does not have angels in it drawn up in rows and guarding it. He will then go down to the marshy land, and Medina will put its people into commotion three times; then every infidel and hypocrite will go out to him.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Sa'd reported God’s messenger as saying, “No one will act deceitfully towards the inhabitants of Medina without being dissolved as salt is dissolved in water.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Anas said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) returned from a journey and looked at the walls of Medina he made his camel hasten, and if he was on a horse (Dabba. This word is used for either a horse or a mule, and although it is feminine it is used for either male or female) he urged it on through love of Medina. Bukhari transmitted it.

He told of the Prophet (ﷺ) coming in sight of Uhud and saying, “This is a mountain which loves us and which we love. O God, Abraham declared Mecca sacred, and I declare the land between its (Medina's) two lava plains to be sacred.” Bukhari and Muslim.

Sahl b. Sa'd reported God’s messenger as saying, “Uhud is a mountain which loves us and which we love.” Bukhari transmitted it.