Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1875
sahih

Narrated Sufyan b. Abu Zuhair:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "Yemen will be conquered and some people will migrate (from Medina) and will urge their families, and those who will obey them to migrate (to Yemen) although Medina will be better for them; if they but knew. Sham will also be conquered and some people will migrate (from Medina) and will urge their families and those who will obey them, to migrate (to Sham) although Medina will be better for them; if they but knew. 'Iraq will be conquered and some people will migrate (from Medina) and will urge their families and those who will obey them to migrate (to 'Iraq) although Medina will be better for them; if they but knew."

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ أَبِي زُهَيْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏

‏ تُفْتَحُ الْيَمَنُ فَيَأْتِي قَوْمٌ يُبِسُّونَ، فَيَتَحَمَّلُونَ بِأَهْلِيهِمْ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ، وَالْمَدِينَةُ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ، وَتُفْتَحُ الشَّأْمُ، فَيَأْتِي قَوْمٌ يُبِسُّونَ فَيَتَحَمَّلُونَ بِأَهْلِيهِمْ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ، وَالْمَدِينَةُ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ، وَتُفْتَحُ الْعِرَاقُ، فَيَأْتِي قَوْمٌ يُبِسُّونَ فَيَتَحَمَّلُونَ بِأَهْلِيهِمْ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ‏.‏ وَالْمَدِينَةُ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ‏

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References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 29, Hadith 9
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 30, Hadith 99 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
None knows the Unseen except Allah, Exalted is He, and He may impart some knowledge of the Unseen to some of His chosen servants. He revealed to the Prophet ﷺ the knowledge of some future events that took place exactly as he ﷺforetold, serving as proofs and signs of his prophethood. In this hadeeth, the Companion Sufyaan ibn Aboo Zuhayr Al-Azdi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺforetold the conquest of many lands which took place in the exact order stated by him in the hadeeth. He ﷺ said that Yemen would be conquered, and some people would be fascinated by it so much that they would take their families and migrate from Al-Madeenah to Yemen, although residing in Al-Madeenah would have been better for them.This is because the Prophet ﷺ declared it an inviolablesanctuary, it is closer to his mosque, it was the land where the divine revelation descended, and the blessings of Allah have been bestowed upon it. Had they only known the great merits and benefits of residing in Al-Madeenah with regard to their religiosity, they would have thought little of the fleeting worldly benefits and gains obtained by residing elsewhere. The hadeeth could also mean, ‘Had they only any share of knowledge,’ meaning if only they were endowed with a share of (religious) knowledge,’ denoting reproach. This hadeeth stated that these two shepherds will be driving their cattle. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Yabussoon,’ and it means to urge (camels in particular) to move faster. Then he ﷺ foretold the conquest of Shaam, which is Greater Syria, that incorporates present-day Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, and the conquest of Iraq as well. He ﷺ informed us that people would flock to these newly conquered lands, seeking wealth and prosperity, like those who would migrate to Yemen, although their residence in Al-Madeenah would have been better for them. It is noteworthy that this hadeeth applies to those who give up residence in Al-Madeenah and move out of it rather than those who leave it to fulfill a need, e.g., for Jihaad or trade purposes. The hadeeth does not apply to these latter categories. The Prophet ﷺ described the two shepherds as driving their camelsto emphasize the intended meaningof saying, ‘Had they only known,” to dispraise their situation. The reference to shepherding the camels here is a metaphor of giving in to the alluring pursuit of fleeing and immediate worldly gains and pleasures, and giving up residence near the Prophet ﷺ. This is why he ﷺ repeated the word ‘Qawm’ and described such people as they drive their cattle to dispraise their blameworthy state. The hadeeth underlines some merits of Al-Madeenah and residence therein. It also serves as evidence on the superiority of some lands to others..
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