5/17. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 567a — Umar’s Sermon on Garlic, Onion, and Mosque Respect
Prohibiting one who has eaten garlic, onions, or leeks, and other things that have an offensive odor from coming to the masjid, until that smell has gone away, and such a person should be expelled from the masjid
Umar’s Sermon About Onion and Garlic: Mosque Manners and Public Care
Sahih Muslim : 567a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 567a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِي الْجَعْدِ، عَنْ مَعْدَانَ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، خَطَبَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فَذَكَرَ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَذَكَرَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ كَأَنَّ دِيكًا نَقَرَنِي ثَلاَثَ نَقَرَاتٍ وَإِنِّي لاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ حُضُورَ أَجَلِي وَإِنَّ أَقْوَامًا يَأْمُرُونَنِي أَنْ أَسْتَخْلِفَ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُضَيِّعَ دِينَهُ وَلاَ خِلاَفَتَهُ وَلاَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ بِهِ نَبِيَّهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِنْ عَجِلَ بِي أَمْرٌ فَالْخِلاَفَةُ شُورَى بَيْنَ هَؤُلاَءِ السِّتَّةِ الَّذِينَ تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ عَنْهُمْ رَاضٍ وَإِنِّي قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ أَقْوَامًا يَطْعَنُونَ فِي هَذَا الأَمْرِ أَنَا ضَرَبْتُهُمْ بِيَدِي هَذِهِ عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ فَإِنْ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ الْكَفَرَةُ الضُّلاَّلُ ثُمَّ إِنِّي لاَ أَدَعُ بَعْدِي شَيْئًا أَهَمَّ عِنْدِي مِنَ الْكَلاَلَةِ مَا رَاجَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي شَىْءٍ مَا رَاجَعْتُهُ فِي الْكَلاَلَةِ وَمَا أَغْلَظَ لِي فِي شَىْءٍ مَا أَغْلَظَ لِي فِيهِ حَتَّى طَعَنَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ فِي صَدْرِي فَقَالَ " يَا عُمَرُ أَلاَ تَكْفِيكَ آيَةُ الصَّيْفِ الَّتِي فِي آخِرِ سُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ " . وَإِنِّي إِنْ أَعِشْ أَقْضِ فِيهَا بِقَضِيَّةٍ يَقْضِي بِهَا مَنْ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ لاَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُشْهِدُكَ عَلَى أُمَرَاءِ الأَمْصَارِ وَإِنِّي إِنَّمَا بَعَثْتُهُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَعْدِلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَلِيُعَلِّمُوا النَّاسَ دِينَهُمْ وَسُنَّةَ نَبِيِّهِمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَيَقْسِمُوا فِيهِمْ فَيْئَهُمْ وَيَرْفَعُوا إِلَىَّ مَا أَشْكَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تَأْكُلُونَ شَجَرَتَيْنِ لاَ أَرَاهُمَا إِلاَّ خَبِيثَتَيْنِ هَذَا الْبَصَلَ وَالثُّومَ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا وَجَدَ رِيحَهُمَا مِنَ الرَّجُلِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَمَرَ بِهِ فَأُخْرِجَ إِلَى الْبَقِيعِ فَمَنْ أَكَلَهُمَا فَلْيُمِتْهُمَا طَبْخًا .
Ma'dan b. Talha Narrated from:
'Umar b. Khattab, delivered the Friday sermon and he made a mention of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr. He (further) said: I saw in a dream that a cock pecked me twice, and I perceive that my death is near. Some people have suggested me to appoint my successor. And Allah would not destroy His religion. His caliphate and that with which He sent His Apostle (ﷺ) If death approaches me soon, the (issue) of Caliphate (would be decided) by the consent of these six men with whom the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained well pleased till his death. And I know fully well that some people would blame me that I killed with these very hands of mine some persons who apparently professed (Islam). And if they do this (blame me) they are the enemies of Allah, and are non-believers and have gone astray.And I leave not after me anything which to my mind seems more important than Kalala. And I never turned towards the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (for guidance) more often than this Kalala, and he (the Holy Prophet) was not annoyed with me on any other (issue) than this: (And he was so perturbed) that he struck his fingers on my chest and said: Does this verse. that is at the end of Surat al-Nisa'. which was revealed in the hot season not suffice you? And if I live longer I would decide this (problem so clearly) that one who reads the Qur'an, or one who does not read it, would be able to take (correct), decisions (under its light).He ('Umar) further said: Allah! I call You witness on these governors of lands, that I sent them to (the peoples of these lands) so that they should administer justice amongst them, teach them their religion and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and distribute amongst them the spoils of war and refer to me that which they find difficult to perform.O people. you eat 'these two plants and these are onions and garlic. and I find them nothing but repugnant for I saw that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sensed the odour of these two from a person in a mosque, he was made to go to al-Baqi'. So he who eats it should (make its odour) die by cooking it well.
[1] According to most, it is the one who dies and is survived by no children or parents. [2] The verse of summer, meaning, it was revealed in summer.Reference : Sahih Muslim 567aIn-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 96USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1151
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 567a
This narration is a Friday sermon from Umar ibn al-Khattab, and it includes several matters. He mentioned the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and Abu Bakr, spoke about a dream, his sense that death was near, the matter of leadership, the six men connected to the caliphate, the issue of Kalala, and the duty of governors to be just, teach religion, teach the Sunnah, distribute spoils, and refer hard matters back to him. At the end, he addressed onions and garlic. He said he found them repugnant and had seen that when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم found their smell from a man in the mosque, he ordered him to be taken out to al-Baqi'. Umar then gave a practical direction: whoever eats them should kill their odor by cooking them well.
What we learn from this hadith
- Umar linked mosque manners to the smell of onion and garlic.
- He reported that a man with that odor was removed from the mosque.
- Cooking them well is mentioned as a way to make the odor die.
- The sermon also mentions justice, teaching religion, the Sunnah, and referring hard matters.
