THE CHAPTER OF PURITY · 138 – THE SOIL HIT BY URINE
Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was sitting in the mosque when a Bedouin entered and performed prayer. (Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr says two rak’ahs). Then he supplicated, “O Allah, have mercy on me and upon the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Have mercy upon us without showing mercy to anyone else.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, "You have constricted a vast mercy." Shortly thereafter, the Bedouin urinated in a corner of the mosque. People rushed towards him (to punish him). The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade them from beating him and said:
“You were sent to make things easy, not difficult. Pour water upon him – nearly a full bucket.” [267]
COMMENTARY
It is not easy to prevent people from doing what they are accustomed to. In the desert where he resided, the Bedouin would urinate wherever he pleased because the weather is hot and nothing remains after an hour due to the sun’s effect. That is his habit. Upon coming to Medina, performing prayer in the mosque, and then urinating inside the mosque as he was accustomed to doing in the desert, beating him would be of no consequence. It would be more effective if he were gently told that urination should be done elsewhere and that defiling the mosque with impurity is not permissible according to Islam. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not allow him to be beaten and ordered a bucket of water to be poured on him because the floor of the mosque is sandy and would quickly absorb it.
Abdullah ibn Ma’kil ibn Mukarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A bedouin performed prayer alongside the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him), and related this account. In it, the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said: “Take away the earth upon which you have relieved yourself, and pour water over it.”
Abu Dawud said: This hadith is mursal. Ibn Ma’kil is a tabi’i [a follower of the early generation], and he did not reach the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him).
EXPLANATION
*Ehriku:* Means “pour.”
This honorable hadith reports that the earth upon which urine has been passed should be removed, then water poured over it. The hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah is more sound; it does not mention such a procedure.