Wednesday, June 13, 2012

47. Madinah Expelling the Evil


RasulAllah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, in a hadith by Bukhaari, that a time would come when a man would call his cousin and his relative, telling him, “Come to the luxurious life. Come to the luxurious life.” This is talking about people from Madinah, who would go to other lands where life is more luxurious and they would call their relatives to leave Madinah and come and enjoy life where there is a ‘better standard.’ Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Madinah is better for them, if they know.” Then the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “In the name of the One in Whose Hand is my soul Allah], anyone who leaves Madinah and gives it up, Allah subhaana wa ta’ala will replace in Madinah someone better than him.” Then the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “AlMadinah is like a furnace that separates the impurities and Madinah will expel all of the impurities out.”
Imagine it like the people who come from other countries in the world and come to America. Then they call their family because of the better standard of living. Similarly, these people will leave Madinah and call their relatives to a more luxurious life. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said that Madinah is better for them.
[Also, if you would like, see Bukhari, chapter 30: Virtues of Madinah]
Is this hadith talking about all times or a specific time? There are two opinions, and each of them has their evidence:
1.       AlQaadi Iyaad says that this hadith is specific to the time of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
AlQaadi’s evidence is this hadith in Bukhari [3/30/107]: Jaabir ibn ‘Abdillah narrates that a bedouin came to the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and gave a pledge of allegiance for embracing Islam. The next day he came with fever and said (to the Prophet), “Please cancel my pledge (of embracing Islam and of immigrating to Medina).” The Prophet refused (that request) three times and said, “Medina is like a furnace, it expels out the impurities (bad persons) and selects the good ones and makes them perfect.”
Madinah has a rough environment, even with the standard of the area. It’s very hot and dry. When the Sahabah went from Makkah to Madinah, they couldn’t handle it. The muhajireen [the ones who migrated] had a lot of fever and different types of diseases. The Ansaar handled it; they were used to it. The news got back to the Quraysh that the Muslims had lost their health and become weak. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam wanted the sahabah to show the Quraysh that they were strong and that the fever didn’t harm them, so he told them to run the first 3 times when they made Umrah and did the tawaaf. That’s why it is sunnah to do the first three rounds of tawaaf running. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam made du’aa` to push the fever out of Madinah. So the fever was pushed out of Madinah by the barakah/blessing of the du’aa` of RasulAllah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
2.       Al Imaam AnNawawi says that this hadith is specific for the time of ad-Dajjaal.
What is the evidence of AnNawawi? His evidence is the hadith in Bukhaari [3/30/105]: narrated by Anas ibn Maalik that the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “There will be no town which Ad-Dajjal will not enter except Mecca and Medina, and there will be no entrance (road) (of both Mecca and Medina) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him, and then Medina will shake with its inhabitants thrice (i.e. three earth-quakes will take place) and Allah will expel all the nonbelievers and the hypocrites from it.”
3.       Ibn Hajar al-Askalaani says that this hadith is talking about the time of RasulAllah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam and Ad-Dajjaal both. 
4.       Some of the scholars of hadith say that it is general and applies to all times. But then one would ask the question: Why did many of the great Sahabah leave Madinah? We know many great Sahabah left Madinah, such as Mu’aadh ibn Jabl, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn AlJarrah and ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib left Madinah. ‘Ali made his capital outside of Madinah, in Iraaq. If it applies to all time, how did these great Sahabah leave Madinah to go other places?
During these times, the evil people would leave Madinah, but there would come a time when Madinah will be deserted. This is towards the end of time – after Mehdi, after the blessed time of ‘Isa [Jesus]. RasulAllah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, in a hadith by Bukhaari [3/30/98]: narrated by Abu Hurayrah: I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “The people will leave Medina in spite of the best state it will have, and none except the wild birds and the beasts of prey will live in it, and the last persons who will die will be two shepherds from the tribe of Muzaina, who will be driving their sheep towards Medina, but will find nobody in it, and when they reach the valley of Thaniyat-al-Wadaa`, they will fall down on their faces dead.”
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Himas from his paternal uncle from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Madina will be left in the best way that it is until a dog or wolf enters it and urinates on one of the pillars of the mosque or on the mimbar.” They asked, “Messenger of Allah! Who will have the fruit at that time?” He replied, “Animals seeking food, birds and wild beasts.” [Malik’s Muwatta, Book 45, #45.2.8] “Who will harvest the crop?” Madinah was known for its dates and fruits. This shows that Madinah is deserted.
Ibn Katheer says that AlMadinah would be revived and alive and strong during the time of Ad-Dajjaal and in the time of ‘Isa, until ‘Isa dies. He will die and be buried in Madinah. After that, Madinah will be deserted and destroyed. But this is at the end of time, when there are no more righteous people any more.
How long will Madinah be deserted? For 40 years. The reason it will be empty is because there will be no ‘ibaadah during that time. What is making Madinah alive today? It is not commerce or business – it is the worship of Allah and the Ummah establishing the rituals of Islam in these two places [Makkah and Madinah].

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