5/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 524a — Building the Mosque
The construction of the Masjid of the Prophet (saws)
Building the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah: Lessons from Anas
Sahih Muslim : 524a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 524a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَشَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ، - قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي التَّيَّاحِ الضُّبَعِيِّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَنَزَلَ فِي عُلْوِ الْمَدِينَةِ فِي حَىٍّ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ بَنُو عَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفٍ . فَأَقَامَ فِيهِمْ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى مَلإِ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ فَجَاءُوا مُتَقَلِّدِينَ بِسُيُوفِهِمْ - قَالَ - فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ رِدْفُهُ وَمَلأُ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ حَوْلَهُ حَتَّى أَلْقَى بِفِنَاءِ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ - قَالَ - فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي حَيْثُ أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلاَةُ وَيُصَلِّي فِي مَرَابِضِ الْغَنَمِ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَمَرَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ قَالَ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى مَلإِ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ فَجَاءُوا فَقَالَ " يَا بَنِي النَّجَّارِ ثَامِنُونِي بِحَائِطِكُمْ هَذَا " . قَالُوا لاَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَطْلُبُ ثَمَنَهُ إِلاَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ . قَالَ أَنَسٌ فَكَانَ فِيهِ مَا أَقُولُ كَانَ فِيهِ نَخْلٌ وَقُبُورُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَخِرَبٌ . فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالنَّخْلِ فَقُطِعَ وَبِقُبُورِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَنُبِشَتْ وَبِالْخِرَبِ فُسُوِّيَتْ - قَالَ - فَصَفُّوا النَّخْلَ قِبْلَةً وَجَعَلُوا عِضَادَتَيْهِ حِجَارَةً - قَالَ - فَكَانُوا يَرْتَجِزُونَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ لاَ خَيْرَ إِلاَّ خَيْرُ الآخِرَهْ فَانْصُرِ الأَنْصَارَ وَالْمُهَاجِرَهْ
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Medina and stayed in the upper part of Medina for fourteen nights with a tribe called Banu 'Amr b 'Auf. He then sent for the chiefs of Banu al-Najir, and they came with swords around their necks. He (the narrator) said: I perceive as if I am seeing the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on his ride with Abu Bakr behind him and the chiefs of Banu al-Najjar around him till he alighted in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub.He (the narrator) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said prayer when the time came for prayer, and he prayed in the fold of goats and sheep. He then ordered mosques to be built and sent for the chiefs of Banu al-Najjar, and they came (to him). He (the Holy Prophet) said to them: O Banu al-Najjar, sell these lands of yours to me. They said: No, by Allah. we would not demand their price, but (reward) from the Lord.Anas said: There (in these lands) were trees and graves of the polytheists, and ruins. The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) ordered that the trees should be cut, and the graves should be dug out, and the ruins should be levelled. The trees (were thus) placed in rows towards the qibla and the stones were set on both sides of the door, and (while building the mosque) they (the Companions) sang rajaz verses along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): O Allah: there is no good but the good of the next world, So help the Ansar and the Muhajirin.
[1] A type of poetic verse.Reference : Sahih Muslim 524aIn-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 13USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1068
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 524a
This Hadith about building the mosque in Madinah gives a clear scene from Anas b. Malik. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to Madinah and stayed with Banu Amr b. Auf for fourteen nights. He then called the chiefs of Banu al-Najjar, moved with Abu Bakr behind him, and came to the courtyard of Abu Ayyub. The text also shows that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed when the prayer time came, even before the mosque was built, and he prayed in the folds of sheep and goats. When he asked Banu al-Najjar to sell the land, they sought reward from Allah instead of a price. The place was then prepared: trees were cut, graves of polytheists were removed, ruins were leveled, and the mosque was built with shared effort and prayer for the Ansar and Muhajirin.
What we learn from this hadith
- Prayer was performed when its time came, even before a built mosque was ready.
- Banu al-Najjar chose reward from Allah rather than asking for payment.
- The mosque site was prepared before building began.
- The Companions worked together while remembering the good of the next life.
