Encouragement to live in Al-Madinah and to be patient on bearing its distress and hardships

Abu Sa'id Maula al-Mahri reported that they were hard pressed by the distress and hardship of Medina, and he come to AbU Sa'Id al-Khudri and said to him: I have a large family (to support) and we are enduring hardships;
I have, therefore, made up my mind to take my family to some fertile land. Thereupon Abu Sa'id said: Don't do that, stick to Medina, for we have come out with Allah's Apostle ﷺ, and (I think that he also said) until we reached 'Usfan, and he (the Holy Prophet along with his Companions) stayed there for some nights. There the people said: By Allah, we are lying here idle, whereas our children are unprotected behind us, and we do not feel secure about them. This (apprehension of theirs) reached Allah's Apostle ﷺ, whereupon he said: What is this matter concerning you that has reached me? (I do not retain how he said it, whether he said like this: ) By Him (in the name of Whom) I take oath, (or he said like this: ) By Him in Whose Hand is my life, I made up my mind or if you like (I do not retain what word did he actually say), I should command my camel to proceed and not to let it halt until it comes to Medina and then said: Ibrahim declared Mecca as the sacred territory and it became sacred, and I declare Medina as the sacred territory-the area between the two mountains ('Air and Uhud). Thus no blood is to be shed within its (bounds) and no weapon is to be carried for fighting, and the leaves of the trees there should not be beaten off except for fodder. O Allah, bless us in our city;
O Allab, bless us in our sil;
O Allah, bless us in our mudd;
O Allah, bless us in our sa;
O Allah, bless us in our mudd. O Allah, bless us in our city. O Allah, bless with this blessing two more blessings. By Him in Whose Hand is my life, there is no ravine or mountain path of Medina which is not protected by two angels until you reach there. (He then said to the people: ) Proceed, and we, therefore, proceeded and we came to Medina By Him (in Whose name) we take oath and (in Whose name) oath is taken (Hammad is in doubt about it), we had hardly put down our camel saddles on arriving at Medina that we were attacked by the people of the tribe of 'Abdullah b. Ghatafan but none dared to do it before.

حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ابْنِ عُلَيَّةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ وُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي، إِسْحَاقَ أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، مَوْلَى الْمَهْرِيِّ أَنَّهُ أَصَابَهُمْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ جَهْدٌ وَشِدَّةٌ وَأَنَّهُ أَتَى أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنِّي كَثِيرُ الْعِيَالِ وَقَدْ أَصَابَتْنَا شِدَّةٌ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَنْقُلَ عِيَالِي إِلَى بَعْضِ الرِّيفِ . فَقَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ لاَ تَفْعَلِ الْزَمِ الْمَدِينَةَ فَإِنَّا خَرَجْنَا مَعَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ - أَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ - حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا عُسْفَانَ فَأَقَامَ بِهَا لَيَالِيَ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ وَاللَّهِ مَا نَحْنُ هَا هُنَا فِي شَىْءٍ وَإِنَّ عِيَالَنَا لَخُلُوفٌ مَا نَأْمَنُ عَلَيْهِمْ . فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ " مَا هَذَا الَّذِي بَلَغَنِي مِنْ حَدِيثِكُمْ - مَا أَدْرِي كَيْفَ قَالَ - وَالَّذِي أَحْلِفُ بِهِ أَوْ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَوْ إِنْ شِئْتُمْ - لاَ أَدْرِي أَيَّتَهُمَا قَالَ - لآمُرَنَّ بِنَاقَتِي تُرْحَلُ ثُمَّ لاَ أَحُلُّ لَهَا عُقْدَةً حَتَّى أَقْدَمَ الْمَدِينَةَ - وَقَالَ - اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَرَّمَ مَكَّةَ فَجَعَلَهَا حَرَمًا وَإِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ حَرَامًا مَا بَيْنَ مَأْزِمَيْهَا أَنْ لاَ يُهَرَاقَ فِيهَا دَمٌ وَلاَ يُحْمَلَ فِيهَا سِلاَحٌ لِقِتَالٍ وَلاَ يُخْبَطَ فِيهَا شَجَرَةٌ إِلاَّ لِعَلْفٍ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مَدِينَتِنَا اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِنَا اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مُدِّنَا اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِنَا اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مُدِّنَا اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مَدِينَتِنَا اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ مَعَ الْبَرَكَةِ بَرَكَتَيْنِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ شِعْبٌ وَلاَ نَقْبٌ إِلاَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكَانِ يَحْرُسَانِهَا حَتَّى تَقْدَمُوا إِلَيْهَا - ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلنَّاسِ - ارْتَحِلُوا " . فَارْتَحَلْنَا فَأَقْبَلْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَوَالَّذِي نَحْلِفُ بِهِ أَوْ يُحْلَفُ بِهِ - الشَّكُّ مِنْ حَمَّادٍ - مَا وَضَعْنَا رِحَالَنَا حِينَ دَخَلْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ حَتَّى أَغَارَ عَلَيْنَا بَنُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ غَطَفَانَ وَمَا يَهِيجُهُمْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ شَىْءٌ .

Abu Sa'id al-Kbudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: O Allah, bless us in our sa' and mud and shower with its blessings two other blessings (multiply blessings showerted upon it).

وَحَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ، مَوْلَى الْمَهْرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِنَا وَمُدِّنَا وَاجْعَلْ مَعَ الْبَرَكَةِ بَرَكَتَيْنِ".

A hadith like this has been narrated by Yabya b. Abu Kathir with the same chain of transmitters.

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا شَيْبَانُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَرْبٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ شَدَّادٍ - كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . مِثْلَهُ .

Abu Sa'id Maula al-Mahri reported that he came to Abu Sa'id al-Khudri during the nights (of the turmoil) of al-Barrah, and sought his advice about leaving Medina, and complained of the high prices prevailing therein and his large family, and informed him that he could not stand the hardships of Medina and its rugged surrounding. He said to him: Woe to you;
I will not advise you to do it, for I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: No one will endure hardships of Medina without my being an intercessor or a witness on his behalf on the Day of Resurrectiar), if he is a Muslim.

وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، مَوْلَى الْمَهْرِيِّ أَنَّهُ جَاءَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ لَيَالِيَ الْحَرَّةِ فَاسْتَشَارَهُ فِي الْجَلاَءِ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ أَسْعَارَهَا وَكَثْرَةَ عِيَالِهِ وَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنْ لاَ صَبْرَ لَهُ عَلَى جَهْدِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَلأْوَائِهَا . فَقَالَ لَهُ وَيْحَكَ لاَ آمُرُكَ بِذَلِكَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " لاَ يَصْبِرُ أَحَدٌ عَلَى لأْوَائِهَا فَيَمُوتَ إِلاَّ كُنْتُ لَهُ شَفِيعًا أَوْ شَهِيدًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِذَا كَانَ مُسْلِمًا " .

Abd al-Rahman reported on the authority of his father Abu Sa'id (Allah be pleased with him) that he heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: I have declared sacred what is between the two lava grounds of Medina just as Ibrahim ﷺ declared Mecca as sacred. He (the narrator) then said: Abu Sa'id caught hold of (Abu Bakr, another narrator, used the word" found" ) a bird in his hand and then released it from his hand and set it free.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَابْنِ نُمَيْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَبِي، سَعِيدٍ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ مَا بَيْنَ لاَبَتَىِ الْمَدِينَةِ كَمَا حَرَّمَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ مَكَّةَ " . قَالَ ثُمَّ كَانَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ يَأْخُذُ - وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَجِدُ - أَحَدَنَا فِي يَدِهِ الطَّيْرُ فَيَفُكُّهُ مِنْ يَدِهِ ثُمَّ يُرْسِلُهُ .

Sahl b. Hunif reported that Messenger of Allah ﷺ pointed with his hands towards Medina and said: That is a sacred territory and a place of safety.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ، عَنْ يُسَيْرِ، بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ، قَالَ أَهْوَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ " إِنَّهَا حَرَمٌ آمِنٌ " .

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: When we came to Medina, and it was an unhealthy, uncogenial place, Abu Bakr fell sick and Bilal also fell sick;
and when Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw the illness of his Companions he said: O Allah, make Medina as congenial to us as you made Mecca congenial or more than that;
make it conducive to health, and bleesus in its sa' and in its mudd, and transfer its fever to al-juhfa.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ وَهْىَ وَبِيئَةٌ فَاشْتَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَاشْتَكَى بِلاَلٌ فَلَمَّا رَأَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ شَكْوَى أَصْحَابِهِ قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ حَبِّبْ إِلَيْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ كَمَا حَبَّبْتَ مَكَّةَ أَوْ أَشَدَّ وَصَحِّحْهَا وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِهَا وَمُدِّهَا وَحَوِّلْ حُمَّاهَا إِلَى الْجُحْفَةِ " .

This hadith has been narrated by Hisham b. 'Urwa with the same chain of transmitters.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . نَحْوَهُ .

Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: He who patiently endures the hardships of it (of this city of Medina), I would be an intercessor or a withness on his behalf on the Day of Resurrection.

حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " مَنْ صَبَرَ عَلَى لأْوَائِهَا كُنْتُ لَهُ شَفِيعًا أَوْ شَهِيدًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ " .

Yuhannis, the freed slave of Zubair, narrated that when he was sitting with Abdullah b. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) during the days of turmoil, his freed slave-girl came to him. After saluting him she said: Abu Abd al-Rahmin, I have decided to leave (Medina) for the time is hard for us, whereupon Abdullah said to her: Stay here, foolish lady, for I have heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: For one who shows endurance on the hardships and rigour of it (of Medina) I would be an intercessor or a witness on his behalf on the Day of Resurrection.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ قَطَنِ بْنِ وَهْبِ بْنِ عُوَيْمِرِ بْنِ، الأَجْدَعِ عَنْ يُحَنِّسَ، مَوْلَى الزُّبَيْرِ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، كَانَ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ فَأَتَتْهُ مَوْلاَةٌ لَهُ تُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي أَرَدْتُ الْخُرُوجَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ اشْتَدَّ عَلَيْنَا الزَّمَانُ . فَقَالَ لَهَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ اقْعُدِي لَكَاعِ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " لاَ يَصْبِرُ عَلَى لأْوَائِهَا وَشِدَّتِهَا أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ كُنْتُ لَهُ شَهِيدًا أَوْ شَفِيعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ " .

Abdullah b. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) said: I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: He who patiently endured the hardships and rigours of (this city, i. e. Medina), I would be his witness and intercessor on the Day of Resurrection.

وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ، عَنْ قَطَنٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ، عَنْ يُحَنِّسَ، مَوْلَى مُصْعَبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " مَنْ صَبَرَ عَلَى لأْوَائِهَا وَشِدَّتِهَا كُنْتُ لَهُ شَهِيدًا أَوْ شَفِيعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ " . يَعْنِي الْمَدِينَةَ .

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported the Apostle of Allah ﷺ as saying: For one among my Ummah who shows endurance against the hardships and rigours of Medina, I would be an intercessor or a witness on his behalf on the Day of Resurrection.

وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، وَابْنُ، حُجْرٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " لاَ يَصْبِرُ عَلَى لأْوَاءِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَشِدَّتِهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي إِلاَّ كُنْتُ لَهُ شَفِيعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَوْ شَهِيدًا " .

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) through another chain of transmitters.

وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي هَارُونَ، مُوسَى بْنِ أَبِي عِيسَى أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْقَرَّاظَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ . بِمِثْلِهِ .