Al Baidaa.
Al Baidaa was a desert area approximately nine kilometers south west from Masjid Nabawi, near Abyar Ali, Dhatul Jaish and Meeqat, (yellow dot).
The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam camped here after the expedition of Bani al Mustaliq. It is also where the verse of tayammum was revealed, and according to another Hadith the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, speaking of future events, said an entire army from Shams on their way to Ka’abah, in their attempt to kill Mahdi, will be swallowed up by the earth at this place.
The incident surrounding the revelation of tayammum is another fascinating chapter in the voluminous books of life in and around Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. SubhanAllah, Allah Ta’ala, the Most Wise and Most Encompassing Planner!
Aishah RadhiAllahu anha had borrowed a necklace from her sister Asmaa RadhiAllahu anha and was wearing it at the time she was accompanying the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam on one of their journeys back from Al-Baidaa to Madinah. The necklace broke and was lost. The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam made his camel kneel down and dismounted and laid his head on the lap of Aishah and slept. People began to search for the necklace but to no avail. Abu Bakr RadhiAllahu anhu came to Aishah RadhiAllahu anha and poked her saying, "You have detained the people because of a necklace." She remained motionless because of the position of Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam on her lap although Abu Bakr RadhiAllahu anhu had hurt her with the slap. When the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam woke up and it was the time for the morning prayer, there was no water to be found at this place and by this time their supplies had run dry. Water was sought, but in vain so they prayed without ablution, then the verse permitting tayammum was revealed.
O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are intoxicated until you know (well) what you say, nor when you are under an obligation to perform a bath– unless (you are) travelling on the road– until you have washed yourselves; and if you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth, then wipe your faces and your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving. (4:43)
O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful. (5.6)
Aishah RadhiAllahu anha added, "We roused the camel I had been on where we found the necklace under it."
Usaid bin Hudair RadhiAllahu anhu said to Aishah RadhiAllahu anha, "May Allah reward you. By Allah, whenever anything happened which you did not like, Allah brought good for you and for the Muslims in that."
(I have included the above two references to tayammum as both appear in differing Ahadith regarding this revelation, although the majority I read favour it was the Al-Ma’ida verse revealed at this time. And Allah the Almighty knows best.)
The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, "I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me:
- Allah made me victorious by awe, by His frightening my enemies for a distance of one month’s journey.
- The entire earth has been made for me and my followers a place for worship and a means to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due.
- The booty has been made Halal for me; it was not lawful for anyone else before me.
- I have been given the right of intercession on the Day of Resurrection.
- Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind.
Abu Dharr RadhiAllahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, "Pure soil will purify a Mu’min even if he does not find water for ten years. When he does find water he should use it." (Tirmidhi)
While mentioning Usaid bin Hudair RadhiAllahu anhu, I couldn’t resist the following.
AbdurRahman ibn Abu Layla RadhiAllahu anhu, quoting Aishah RadhiAllahu anha, that Usaid bin Hudair RadhiAllahu anhu an Ansar, said that while he was given to jesting and was talking to the people and making them laugh, the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam poked him under the ribs with a stick. He said: Let me take retaliation. He said: Take retaliation. He said: You are wearing a shirt but I am not. The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam then raised his shirt and the man embraced him and began to kiss his side. Then he said: This is what I wanted, Apostle of Allah!
Aishah RadhiAllahu anha said that Usaid bin Hudair RadhiAllahu anhu related that while he was reciting Surat Al-Baqara at night, and his horse was tied beside him, the horse was suddenly startled and troubled. When he stopped reciting, the horse became quiet, and when he started again, the horse was startled again. Then he stopped reciting and the horse became quiet too. He started reciting again and the horse was startled and troubled once again. Then he stopped reciting as his son, Yahya was beside the horse and he was afraid that the horse might trample on him. When he took the boy away and looked towards the sky, he could not see it. The next morning he informed the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam who said, "Recite, O Ibn Hudair! Recite, O Ibn Hudair!" Ibn Hudair RadhiAllahu anhu replied, "O Allah’s Apostle! My son, Yahya was near the horse and I was afraid that it might trample on him, so I looked towards the sky, and went to him. When I looked at the sky, I saw something like a cloud containing what looked like lamps, so I went away in order not to see it." The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, "Do you know what that was?" Ibn Hudair RadhiAllahu anhu replied, "No." The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, "Those were Angels who came near to you for your voice and if you had kept on reciting till dawn, they would have remained there till morning when people would have seen them as they would not have disappeared."
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Ameen.
