Narrative regarding an Exception relating to the Said Etiquette

قال مغيرة بن شعبة رضي الله عنه: أكلت ثوما فأتيت مصلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وقد سبقت بركعة فلما دخلت المسجد وجد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ريح الثوم. فلما قضى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلاته قال: من أكل من هذه الشجرة فلا يقربنا حتى يذهب ريحها. فلما قضيت الصلاة جئت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقلت يا رسول الله والله لتعطيني يدك. قال: فأدخلت يده في كم قميصي إلى صدري فإذا أنا معصوب الصدر. قال: إن لك عذرا.

Mughirah ibn Sho`bah says: [Once,] I came to the Prophet’s place of prayer after having eaten garlic. One rak`ah [of the prayer] had already preceded me. When I entered the mosque, the Prophet (pbuh) sensed the strong odor of garlic. When the Prophet (pbuh) completed his prayer, he said: Whoever eats of this tree, he should not come near us till its odor subsides. Later, when I completed my prayer, I approached the Prophet (pbuh) and said: Prophet of God, in God’s name, give me your hand [so that I can show you my reason]. He said: [The Prophet (pbuh) gave me his hand and] I entered it inside my shirt to where my chest was. He could feel that my chest was tied¹. He said: You have an excuse [for eating it].

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General Notes:

1. It apparently seems that the companion had his chest and stomach tightly tied due to hunger, seeing which the Prophet acknowledged that, under such circumstances, the companion had a good excuse to have eaten what he did.

Notes on the Text of the Narrative

This narrative or a part of it with some variations has been reported in Abu Dawood (narrative no. 3826), Ahmad ibn Hanbal (narrative no. 18201, 18230), Bayhaqiy (narrative no. 4840), Ibn Hibban (narrative no. 2095), Ibn Khuzaymah (narrative no. 1672) and Ibn Abi Shaybah (narrative no. 8656, 24486). The preferred text has been reported in Abu Dawood’s narrative no. 3826.

In some narratives, as in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4840, the words “أكلت ثوما” (i.e., ‘I ate some garlic’) have been rendered as “اكلت الثوم على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم” (i.e., ‘I ate garlic during the days of the Prophet (pbuh)’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 18230, the phrase “وقد سبقت بركعة” (i.e., ‘one rak`ah had already preceded me’) has been rendered as “قد سبقني بركعة” (i.e., ‘he had completed a rak`ah before me’); in Ibn Hibban’s narrative no. 2095, as “فوجدته قد سبقني بركعة” (i.e., ‘I found him having completed a rak`ah before me’).

In some narratives, as in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4840, the clause “فلما دخلت المسجد” (i.e., ‘when I entered the mosque’) have been replaced with “فدخلت معهم في الصلاة” (i.e., ‘I joined the prayer with them’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 18230, the narrator says that the Prophet (pbuh) sensed the odor after having completed his prayers, only when Mughirah stood up to complete his own prayers. The referred report says: “فلما صلى قمت أقضي فوجد ريح الثوم…” (i.e., ‘then, when he had prayed, I stood up to complete my prayer. At this he [i.e., the Prophet] sensed the odor of garlic’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 18230, the clause “من أكل من هذه الشجرة” (i.e., ‘whoever eats of this tree’) have been reported as: “من أكل هذه البقلة” (i.e., ‘whoever eats this plant’); in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4840, it has been reported as “من أكل من هذه الشجرة الخبيثة” (i.e., ‘whoever eats of this vicious tree’); in Ibn Hibban’s narrative no. 2095, it has been reported as “من أكل من هذه البقلة” (i.e., ‘whoever eats of this plant’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 18230, the clause “فلا يقربنا” (i.e., ‘he should not come near us’) have been reported as: “فلا يقربن مسجدنا” (i.e., ‘he should not come near our mosques’); in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4840, it has been reported as “فلا يقربن مصلانا” (i.e., ‘he should not come near our place of prayer’).

The word “ريحها” (i.e., ‘its [the tree’s fruit’s] odor) has also been alternatively reported as “ريحه” (i.e., ‘its [garlic’s] odor’) in Abu Dawood’s narrative no. 3826.

In some narratives, as in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4840, the words “فلما قضيت الصلاة” (i.e., ‘when I finished my prayer’) have been reported as “فأتممت صلاتي فسلمت” (i.e., ‘when I completed my prayer and offered salam‘).

In some narratives, as in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4840, the words “والله لتعطيني يدك” (i.e., in God’s name, give me your hand’) have been reported as: “أقسمت عليك لما أعطيتني يدك” (i.e., ‘I put you under oath that you give me your hand’).

According to some narratives, as for instance Ibn Hibban’s 2095, after completing his prayers, Mughirah approached the Prophet (pbuh) and reports his dialogue with the Prophet (pbuh) as: “يا رسول الله إن لي عذرا. فناولني يدك فناولني فوجدته والله سهلا فأدخلتها في كمي إلى صدري” (i.e., ‘O Prophet of God, I have a reason [or an excuse]. Give me your hand [so that I can show you]. He gave me his hand and by God, I found it to be extremely soft. Then I entered it in my shirt towards my chest’).

In some narratives, as in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 18230, the words “فإذا أنا معصوب الصدر” (i.e., ‘he found my chest to be tied’) have been reported as “فوجده معصوبا” (i.e., ‘he found it [my chest] to be tied’).

In some narratives, as in Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 4840, the words “إن لك عذرا” (i.e., ‘you have an excuse/reason’) have also been reported as “أرى لك عذرا” (I think/see that you have an excuse/reason’).

(This write-up is prepared by the Hadith Cell of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi)

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