93/45. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7209 — Medina Like a Furnace
The giving of the Bai'a by the bedouins
Hadith About Medina Like a Furnace
Sahih Bukhari : 7209
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7209
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا بَايَعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ، فَأَصَابَهُ وَعْكٌ فَقَالَ أَقِلْنِي بَيْعَتِي. فَأَبَى، ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ فَقَالَ أَقِلْنِي بَيْعَتِي. فَأَبَى، فَخَرَجَ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الْمَدِينَةُ كَالْكِيرِ، تَنْفِي خَبَثَهَا، وَيَنْصَعُ طِيبُهَا ".
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
A bedouin gave the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for Islam and the bedouin got a fever where upon he said to the Prophet (ﷺ) "Cancel my Pledge." But the Prophet (ﷺ) refused. He came to him (again) saying, "Cancel my Pledge.' But the Prophet (ﷺ) refused. Then (the bedouin) left (Medina). Allah's Apostle said: "Medina is like a pair of bellows (furnace): It expels its impurities and brightens and clears its good."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7209In-book reference : Book 93, Hadith 69USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 89, Hadith 316
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7209
This hadith about Medina like a furnace tells of a Bedouin who gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم for Islam. After he got fever, he asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to cancel his pledge. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم refused. The Bedouin came again with the same request, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم again refused. Then the Bedouin left Medina. After that, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Medina is like a pair of bellows or a furnace: it expels its impurities and brightens and clears its good. The hadith connects the Bedouin's leaving with the statement about Medina. It shows that the pledge for Islam was not something to cancel because of discomfort.
What we learn from this hadith
- A pledge for Islam should not be treated as something to cancel due to hardship.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم refused the request to cancel the pledge.
- The Bedouin left Medina after his repeated request was refused.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم described Medina as expelling impurity and clearing its good.
