200 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Section: On the building of the holy mosque during the period of the residence of the
Messenger of God (WS) at the home ofAba Ayyab, may God be pleased with him.
There are differences of opinion as to the length of his stay there. Al-Waqidi
stated seven months, while others refer to less than one month hut God knows
best.
Al-Bukhwi stated that Ishaq b. Mansiir related to him, from 'Abd al-Samad,
who quotes a hadith from his father, as follows, "Aha al-Tayyah Yazid b.
Yumayd al-Dabbi related to us, quoting Anas b. Malik, who said, 'When the
Messenger of God (SAAS) came to Medina, he stayed in the upper part of the
town in the quarter named for the Bana 'Amr b. 'Awf. He stayed among them
for 14 nights, then sent a message to the chiefs of the Bana al-Najjiir who came
wearing their swords. It's as if I can still see the Messenger of God (SAAS) rid-
ing his camel with Abii Bakr mounted behind him and the chiefs of the Bana
al-Najjar all around him until they reached the courtyard of Abn Ayyilb's house.
"'He used to pray wherever he happened to be when time for prayer came; he
would even pray in sheep pens.
"'Then he ordered that the mosque he built. He summoned the chiefs of the
Bana al-Najja, and when they came he asked them, "0 Bann al-Najjar, what
price for this wall of yours?" They replied, "Oh no, by God, we'll seek its price
from God, the Almighty and Glorious, alone!"'
"Anas Ibn Mdik then said 'This wall enclosed the following: the graves of
polytheists, ruins and date-palms. The Messenger of God (SAAS) ordered that
the graves be unearthed, the ruins levelled and the date-palms be cut down; this
was done.
"'They (created a wall of) palm trees at the qiblah (the front of the mosque),
and constructed its two door posts out of stones. They set about gathering
stones, chanting in rajaz verse as they did so. The Messenger of God (SAAS)
worked along with them, saying, "0 God, there is no good but that of the after-
life; please aid the Helpers and the Emigrants!"'"
Al-Bnkhiiri related this in other places, as did Muslim from a hadfth of Abn
'Abd al-Samad and 'Abd al-WGth b. Sa'id.
A hadith from the sahib of al-Bukhwi quoted earlier, from al-Znhri, from
Wrwa, stated that the mosque had been a midud - a shed for dates -belonging
to two orphan youths, Sahl and Suhayl, who were under the care of As'ad b.
Zurara. The Messenger of God (SAAS) made an offer of money to them but
they replied, "No; we will give it to you, Messenger of God." But he refused,
and bought it from them instead and then built a mosque on it.
The Messenger of God (SAAS) would chant as he moved the earth along with
the others,
"This load is not a load of Khaybar; this, 0 Lord, is
cleaner and purer."
And he would say,