Rabi Allah (Islamic Academy)

All praise be to Allah and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad Salla Alahu Alayhi Wa Salam.

A Bedouin’s Journey to Medina

A Bedouin man came to Medina (The city of Prophet Muhammad PBUH), invited by the call of Islam while he was in the desert. His pure nature and sincere heart led him to embrace Islam willingly. As he wandered through the streets of Medina, he spotted the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and desired to pray two Rakaats of prayer before attending to his business. He entered the mosque and stood praying near the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions.

After completing his prayers and preparing to leave, he felt the urge to relieve himself. Without realizing the sanctity of the mosque, he began to relieve himself inside. Such a disgraceful act was unacceptable, especially considering the violation of the sanctity of the Prophet’s mosque.

The Reaction of the Companions and the Prophet’s Wisdom

Questioner: What is this? In the masjid, a guy urinates. They should have scolded him and pushed him out.

Abdelmonem: This is exactly what the companions were about to do. They scolded him and moved to discipline him, but a firm gesture from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stopped them. He PBUH said, “Don’t scold him, leave him, and pour a bucket of water over his urine.”

Questioner: What a wise reaction of the Prophet PBUH. Of course, this affected the Beduin deeply.

Abdelmonem: You are right. This incident deeply affected the Beduin guy. As he later described, when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) approached him, he didn’t curse, scold, or strike him. Instead, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked, “Aren’t you a Muslim?” The man replied, “Yes.” The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) then asked, “What made you urinate in the mosque?” The man honestly replied, “By the One who sent you with the truth, I thought it was just a (sandy land and) part of the desert, so I urinated there.” The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) responded with mercy and compassion, saying, “Indeed, these mosques are unsuitable for such impurities. They are only for the remembrance of Allah, prayer, and recitation of the Quran.”

This encounter profoundly impacted the Bedouin man, who later expressed, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) stood before me, the most beloved to me among my fathers and mothers, without cursing, scolding, or hitting me.”

Questioner: What did the Beduin man do after this incident? He must have thanked the Prophet PBUH. Right?

Abdelmonem: When the blessings of Allah upon him through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ended, the man raised his hands to the sky, and said an unusual supplication: “O Allah, have mercy on me and Muhammad, and do not have mercy on anyone else with us.”

Questioner: OMG, This unjust supplication closed the doors of divine mercy, creating anger among those present.

Abdelmonem: Yes, that’s what exactly happened. The companions got annoyed because of this unjust Dua. However, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) extended his patience and understanding towards man’s ignorance, knowing that such individuals act based on their nature and upbringing in harsh desert environments. He responded, “You have restricted something vast,” meaning, “You have tightened the vast mercy of Allah.”

Thus, the ethics of prophethood exemplify mercy, guidance, gentleness, and compassion, offering us the most excellent examples in preaching and education, reflecting the wisdom of the advice in both words and deeds. The Almighty grants upon gentleness what He does not give upon harshness. This is the first lesson we learn from this great incident. Gentleness beautifies everything it touches, while harshness takes away from it. This is affirmed by the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) great character, which was part of his perfection that united him with the hearts of those around him, despite their diverse personalities and backgrounds. As Allah says, “And by the mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you.” (Quran, Al-Imran: 159)

Questioner: What are the other benefits?

Abdelmonem: Another benefit concerns the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) stance in preventing the companions from confronting or mistreating the man, as doing so would have led to various harms. Also, the man might have quickly moved, spreading the impurity and making it difficult to clean. Moreover, his clothing could have been filthy. Do you know withholding from relieving himself could have harmed him physically? And this also could cause his private parts to be exposed. The worst consequence of all, he might have developed a negative perception of Muslims and Islam itself.

Therefore, the wise action the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded his companions to take was to leave the man until he finished, to avoid harm, followed by cleaning the impurity with abundant water.

Questioner: Why did the Prophet (peace be upon him) ask the man, “Are not you a Muslim?” despite seeing him praying in the mosque?

Abdelmonem: The answer lies in the Prophet’s intention to highlight the contradiction between man’s actions and the behaviour expected of Muslims, stressing the importance of respecting sacred rituals and places.

The crucial lesson here is in commanding the good and forbidding the evil, understanding people’s natures, and considering their psychological states. This leaves a lasting impression and fosters acceptance of truth and guidance.

The Bedouin man’s violation in his supplication and choice of a place for relieving himself stemmed from his ignorance of Islamic teachings. Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not criticize him harshly but instead corrected him gently. Therefore, the Prophet’s treatment of the Bedouin differed from that of his close companions.

We must respect and honor mosques, as they are built for the remembrance of Allah. Forbidding evil should lead to their removal or reduction, not their escalation. Keeping mosques in good condition involves caring for them, worshipping Allah in them, attending religious gatherings, educating the ignorant gently, and guiding students of knowledge towards what benefits them.

O Allah forgive me, my parents, and the believers when the day of resurrection will be established.

Wa Asalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allahi Wa Barakatu.