92/14. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7087 — Permission to Stay in the Desert
To stay with the Bedouins during Al-Fitnah
Hadith About Salama bin Al-Akwa Staying in the Desert
Sahih Bukhari : 7087
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7087
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمٌ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الأَكْوَعِ، أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَى الْحَجَّاجِ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ الأَكْوَعِ ارْتَدَدْتَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْكَ تَعَرَّبْتَ قَالَ لاَ وَلَكِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَذِنَ لِي فِي الْبَدْوِ. وَعَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ لَمَّا قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ خَرَجَ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ الأَكْوَعِ إِلَى الرَّبَذَةِ، وَتَزَوَّجَ هُنَاكَ امْرَأَةً وَوَلَدَتْ لَهُ أَوْلاَدًا، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِهَا حَتَّى قَبْلَ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِلَيَالٍ، فَنَزَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ.
Salama bin Al-Akwa` Narrated from:
Narrated Salama bin Al-Akwa`: That he visited Al-Hajjaj (bin Yusuf). Al-Hajjaj said, "O son of Al-Akwa`! You have turned on your heels (i.e., deserted Islam) by staying (in the desert) with the bedouins." Salama replied, "No, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) allowed me to stay with the bedouin in the desert." Narrated Yazid bin Abi Ubaid: When `Uthman bin `Affan was killed (martyred), Salama bin Al-Akwa` went out to a place called Ar- Rabadha and married there and begot children, and he stayed there till a few nights before his death when he came to Medina.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7087In-book reference : Book 92, Hadith 38USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 88, Hadith 209
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7087
This hadith about staying in the desert records a personal exchange between Salama bin Al-Akwa and Al-Hajjaj. Al-Hajjaj accused him of turning back by staying with the bedouins in the desert. Salama replied that he had not deserted Islam, but Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had allowed him to stay with the bedouin in the desert. The report also says that after Uthman bin Affan was killed, Salama went to Ar-Rabadha, married there, had children, and stayed there until a few nights before his death, when he came to Medina. The lesson is limited to the text: Salama rejected the accusation and pointed to prophetic permission for his case.
What we learn from this hadith
- Salama denied that his desert stay meant deserting Islam.
- He stated that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had allowed him to stay with the bedouins.
- A person’s outward location should not be judged without knowledge.
- The narration links Salama’s move to the period after Uthman’s killing.
