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Seerah / Conquest of Makkah

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Mu'adh is sent to Yemen

Date
c. 9–10 AH · approximate
Location
Madinah → Yemen
People
Mu'adh ibn Jabal (RA), Ibn 'Abbas (RA)

Ibn 'Abbas (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari the Prophet's ﷺ instructions to Mu'adh (RA): teach step by step, take zakah from the rich for the poor, avoid people's best property, and fear the supplication of the oppressed.

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

حَدَّثَنِي حِبَّانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ زَكَرِيَّاءَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ صَيْفِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْبَدٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ حِينَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ ‏ "‏ إِنَّكَ سَتَأْتِي قَوْمًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، فَإِذَا جِئْتَهُمْ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَشْهَدُ…

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to Mu`adh bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen, "You will come to the people of Scripture, and when you reach them, invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers to be performed every day and night. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) to be taken from the rich amongst them and given to the poor amongst them. And if they obey you in that, then be cautious! Don't take their best properties (as Zakat) and be afraid of the curse of an opp…

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 4347 · Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)
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

  • Teach gradually — priorities first.
  • Power over others must stay afraid of wronging them.

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

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Bibliography

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 4347 (Ibn 'Abbas) · primary source
  • Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)

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