64/35. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4186 — The Pledge Under the Tree and Correcting Rumors
The Ghazwa of Al-Hudaibiya
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ} .
Pledge Under the Tree Hadith: Ibn Umar, Umar, and Correcting Rumors
Sahih Bukhari : 4186
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4186
حَدَّثَنِي شُجَاعُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، سَمِعَ النَّضْرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا صَخْرٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، قَالَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، أَسْلَمَ قَبْلَ عُمَرَ، وَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنْ عُمَرُ يَوْمَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ أَرْسَلَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ إِلَى فَرَسٍ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يَأْتِي بِهِ لِيُقَاتِلَ عَلَيْهِ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُبَايِعُ عِنْدَ الشَّجَرَةِ، وَعُمَرُ لاَ يَدْرِي بِذَلِكَ، فَبَايَعَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى الْفَرَسِ، فَجَاءَ بِهِ إِلَى عُمَرَ، وَعُمَرُ يَسْتَلْئِمُ لِلْقِتَالِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُبَايِعُ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ ـ قَالَ ـ فَانْطَلَقَ فَذَهَبَ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَايَعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَهِيَ الَّتِي يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ أَسْلَمَ قَبْلَ عُمَرَ.
Nafi Narrated from:
The people used to say that Ibn `Umar had embraced Islam before `Umar. This is not true. What happened is that `Umar sent `Abdullah to bring his horse from an Ansari man so as to fight on it. At that time the people were giving the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) near the Tree, and `Umar was not aware of that. So `Abdullah (bin `Umar) gave the Pledge of Allegiance (to the Prophet) and went to take the horse and brought it to `Umar.While `Umar was putting on the armor to get ready for fighting, `Abdullah informed him that the people were giving the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle beneath the Tree. So `Umar set out and `Abdullah accompanied him till he gave the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and it was this event that made people say that Ibn `Umar had embraced Islam before `Umar.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4186In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 226USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 500
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4186
This pledge under the tree hadith corrects a report people used to repeat. Some said Ibn Umar embraced Islam before Umar, but Nafi said this was not true. The real event was that Umar sent Abdullah bin Umar to bring his horse so he could fight on it. At that time, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was receiving the pledge near the tree, and Umar did not yet know. Abdullah gave the pledge, brought the horse back, and then told Umar what was happening. Umar went with him and gave the pledge to Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. The hadith teaches careful reporting. A true event can be misunderstood when people miss the details.
What we learn from this hadith
- A report should be checked before people repeat it as fact.
- Ibn Umar’s early pledge in this event did not mean he embraced Islam before Umar.
- Umar acted when he learned the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was receiving the pledge.
- The pledge under the tree was treated as an important moment by the companions.
