65/63.6. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4905 — Leave the Call of Ignorance
The Statement of Allah the Exalted: "It is equal to them whether you (Muḥammad pbuh) ask for their forgiveness..." (V.63:6)
Hadith About Tribalism and the Call of Jahiliyyah
Sahih Bukhari : 4905
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4905
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ عَمْرٌو سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كُنَّا فِي غَزَاةٍ ـ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ مَرَّةً فِي جَيْشٍ ـ فَكَسَعَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ يَا لَلأَنْصَارِ. وَقَالَ الْمُهَاجِرِيُّ يَا لَلْمُهَاجِرِينَ. فَسَمِعَ ذَاكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " مَا بَالُ دَعْوَى جَاهِلِيَّةٍ " قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَسَعَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ. فَقَالَ " دَعُوهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُنْتِنَةٌ ". فَسَمِعَ بِذَلِكَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أُبَىٍّ فَقَالَ فَعَلُوهَا، أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ رَجَعْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لَيُخْرِجَنَّ الأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الأَذَلَّ. فَبَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَامَ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ دَعْنِي أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " دَعْهُ لاَ يَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا يَقْتُلُ أَصْحَابَهُ " وَكَانَتِ الأَنْصَارُ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ حِينَ قَدِمُوا الْمَدِينَةَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ كَثُرُوا بَعْدُ. قَالَ سُفْيَانُ فَحَفِظْتُهُ مِنْ عَمْرٍو قَالَ عَمْرٌو سَمِعْتُ جَابِرًا كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
We were in a Ghazwa (Sufyan once said, in an army) and a man from the emigrants kicked an Ansari man (on the buttocks with his foot). The Ansari man said, "O the Ansar! (Help!)" and the emigrant said. "O the emigrants! (Help!) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard that and said, "What is this call for, which is characteristic of the period of ignorance?" They said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! A man from the emigrants kicked one of the Ansar (on the buttocks with his foot)." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Leave it (that call) as is a detestable thing."`Abdullah bin Ubai heard that and said, 'Have the (the emigrants) done so? By Allah, if we return Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner." When this statement reached the Prophet. `Umar got up an, said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Let me chop off the head of this hypocrite (`Abdullah bin Ubai)!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said "Leave him, lest the people say that Muhammad kills his companions." The Ansar were then more in number than the emigrants when the latter came to Medina, but later on the emigrant increased.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4905In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 425USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 428
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4905
This Hadith about tribalism shows how quickly a small conflict can become a group dispute. A man from the Muhajirun kicked a man from the Ansar. Each side called out to its own group for help. Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم heard this and called it a call from the period of ignorance. He told them to leave it because it was detestable. The Hadith teaches that Islam does not approve of stirring people by group pride when the issue is a personal wrong. Abdullah bin Ubai then used the moment to speak harmful words. When Umar wanted to punish him, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم stopped him because of how people might talk about it.
What we learn from this hadith
- Group pride should not turn a personal conflict into a wider dispute.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم described the call of ignorance as detestable.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم considered the wider effect of public actions.
