8/12. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 702 — Building the Prophet’s Masjid
Digging Up Graves And Using The Land As A Masjid
Hadith About Building the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah
Sunan an-Nasai : 702
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 702
أَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي التَّيَّاحِ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَزَلَ فِي عُرْضِ الْمَدِينَةِ فِي حَىٍّ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ بَنُو عَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفٍ فَأَقَامَ فِيهِمْ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى مَلإٍ مِنْ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ فَجَاءُوا مُتَقَلِّدِي سُيُوفِهِمْ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ - رضى الله عنه - رَدِيفُهُ وَمَلأٌ مِنْ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ حَوْلَهُ حَتَّى أَلْقَى بِفِنَاءِ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي حَيْثُ أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلاَةُ فَيُصَلِّي فِي مَرَابِضِ الْغَنَمِ ثُمَّ أُمِرَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى مَلإٍ مِنْ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ فَجَاءُوا فَقَالَ " يَا بَنِي النَّجَّارِ ثَامِنُونِي بِحَائِطِكُمْ هَذَا " . قَالُوا وَاللَّهُ لاَ نَطْلُبُ ثَمَنَهُ إِلاَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ . قَالَ أَنَسٌ وَكَانَتْ فِيهِ قُبُورُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَكَانَتْ فِيهِ خَرِبٌ وَكَانَ فِيهِ نَخْلٌ فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِقُبُورِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَنُبِشَتْ وَبِالنَّخْلِ فَقُطِعَتْ وَبِالْخَرِبِ فَسُوِّيَتْ فَصَفُّوا النَّخْلَ قِبْلَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ وَجَعَلُوا عِضَادَتَيْهِ الْحِجَارَةَ وَجَعَلُوا يَنْقُلُونَ الصَّخْرَ وَهُمْ يَرْتَجِزُونَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ اللَّهُمَّ لاَ خَيْرَ إِلاَّ خَيْرُ الآخِرَةِ فَانْصُرِ الأَنْصَارَ وَالْمُهَاجِرَةَ
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Al-Madinah, he alighted in the upper part of Al-Madinah among the tribe called Banu 'Amr bin 'Awf and he stayed with them for fourteen nights. Then he sent for the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar, and they came with their swords by their sides. It is as if I can see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on his she-camel with Abu Bakr riding behind him (on the same camel) and the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar around him, until he dismounted in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub.The Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer the prayer wherever he was when the time for prayer came, and he would pray even in sheepfolds. Then he ordered that the Masjid be built. He sent for the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar, and when they came, he said: 'O Banu An-Najjar, name me a price for this grove of yours.' They said: 'By Allah, we will not ask for its price except from Allah.'"Anas said: "In (that grove) there were graves of idolators, ruins and date-palm trees. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered that the graves of the idolators be dug up, the ruins be leveled and the date-palm trees be cut down. The trunks of the trees were arranged so as to form the walls facing the Qiblah. The stone pillars were built at the sides of its gate. They started to move the stones, reciting some lines of verse, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was with them when they were saying: 'O Allah! There is no good except the good of the Hereafter. So bestow victory on the Ansar and the Muhajirin.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 702In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 15English translation : Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 703
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 702
This hadith about building the Prophet’s Masjid describes the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم arriving in Al-Madinah and staying first among Banu Amr bin Awf for fourteen nights. He then sent for the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar and later asked them to name a price for their grove. They refused to seek payment except from Allah. The land had graves of idolators, ruins, and date-palm trees, so the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered the graves dug up, the ruins leveled, and the trees cut down. The companions carried stones while reciting words that turned their work toward the Hereafter, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was with them.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Masjid was built with planning, work, and shared effort.
- Banu An-Najjar showed generosity by seeking reward from Allah.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم joined the people in the work of building.
- The workers remembered the Hereafter while doing physical labor.
