IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATH~R 211poet once said, coming to Medina, "By my life, if I, fearing death, were to emit
a donkey's neighing, I would be expressing my anxiety."
Al-Buhhitri related from a hadith of Moss b.cUqba, from Sdim, from his
father, that the Prophet (SAAS) said, "I saw what seemed lie a black woman,
her head in disarray, emerge from Medina and travel to Mahya'a, which is
al-Juhfa. I interpreted from this that Medina's pestilence had been transformed
to Mahya'a, that is, to al-Juhfa."
This wording is from al-Bukhiiri. Muslim did not give this tradition. Al-
Tirmidhl did relate it and pronounced it authentic, while al-Nass'i and Ihn Mzja
gave it from a hadith of Miisn b. Wqba.
Hammzd b. Zayd related, from Hishh h. Wrwa, from 'A'isha, who said,
"When the Messenger of God (SAAS) arrived at Medina the pestilence was
active." She related the tradition in full as above but gave the final words of the
Messenger of God as "remove its fever to al-Juhfa!"
Hishb stated, "A child born in al-Juhfa never reached adolescence without
being struck down by the fever."
Al-Bayhaqi related this in the Dalsil al-Nubuwwah (Signs of the Prophethood).
Yonus stated, from Ibn Ishnq, "When the Messenger of God (SAAS) arrived
in Medina, the pestilence was active. MI his Companions became seriously
stricken with that. But God kept it away from his Prophet (SAAS)."
It is established in both sahih collections, from Ibn 'Abb~, who said, "The
Messenger of God (SAAS) and his Companions arrived in Mecca flushed and
feverish in the year they made the 'umrat al-qa&i':5 the 'fulfilment pilgrimage',
and the polytheists said, 'There's a group of them arriving who are weakened
by the Medina fever.' And so the Messenger of God (SAAS) ordered his
Companions to jog around the ka'ba except between the two corners where they
were permitted to walk. And it was only his concern for them that deterred him
from making them jog throughout the performance of the ritual."
I observe that the 'umrat al-qa&' took place in the year 7 AH, in the month of
Dba al-Qa'da. Either his prayer to God to remove the pestilence elsewhere had
been delayed to some time close to this, or that it had been removed but some
few traces of it had remained. Or they were still suffering from some remaining
effects of a previous afniction. But God knows best.
Ziy?id stated, quoting Ibn Isbq, "Ibn Shihzb al-Zuhri related from 'Abd
All& b. 'Amr b. al-'&, that when the Messenger of God (SAAS) and his
Companions arrived in Medina they became seriously ill from the Medina fever,
to the extent that they had to say their prayers seated. However, God kept this
affliction from affecting His Prophet (SAAS)."
The account states, "And so the Messenger of God (SAAS) went out before
them while they were praying in this way and told them, 'You should know that
- The name given to the 'umra pilgrimage rites the Muslims performed then at Meua which
had been vacated by its inhabitants by prior agreement for this occasion. The circumstances of this
will be detailed by Ibn Kathlr later in this text.