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The Bedouin who urinated in the mosque

Date
Madinan period · date unknown
Location
The Prophet's Mosque
People
Anas (RA), Abu Huraira (RA)

Anas and Abu Huraira (RA) narrate in Sahih al-Bukhari that when people rushed at a Bedouin who urinated in the mosque, the Prophet ﷺ stopped them, had water poured over the place and said they were sent to make things easy, not difficult.

As it was narrated

The story, in the words of those who were there

Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.

Hadith
Hadith collection

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا، بَالَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَقَامُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لا تُزْرِمُوهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِدَلْوٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ فَصُبَّ عَلَيْهِ‏.‏

Narrated Anas bin Malik:A bedouin urinated in the mosque and the people ran to (beat) him. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Do not interrupt his urination (i.e. let him finish)." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) asked for a tumbler of water and poured the water over the place of urine

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 6025 · Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab)
Translation: Sahih al-Bukhari — English. Hadith data: fawazahmed0/hadith-api (numbering and gradings as published there).

Grading information unavailable in source data · from a collection regarded as sahih

Open source
Hadith
Hadith collection

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، ح وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ حَدَّثَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا بَالَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَثَارَ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ لِيَقَعُوا بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ دَعُوهُ، وَأَهْرِيقُوا عَلَى بَوْلِهِ ذَنُوبًا مِنْ…

Narrated Abu Huraira:A bedouin urinated in the mosque, and the people rushed to beat him. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered them to leave him and pour a bucket or a tumbler (full) of water over the place where he has passed urine. The Prophet then said, " You have been sent to make things easy (for the people) and you have not been sent to make things difficult for them

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 6128 · Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab)
Translation: Sahih al-Bukhari — English. Hadith data: fawazahmed0/hadith-api (numbering and gradings as published there).

Grading information unavailable in source data · from a collection regarded as sahih

Open source

Lessons

  • Correct ignorance with gentleness, not humiliation.
  • Fix the problem first; protect the person's dignity.

Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.

Pause for a moment

Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.

Send salawat ﷺ

Bibliography

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 6025 (Anas), 6128 (Abu Huraira) · primary source
  • Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)

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