A Bedouin came and urinated in a corner of the mosque

Islam > Hadiths > Jurisprudence and juristic principles > Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles

Hadith narrated by Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim

Authenticity grade : Authentic hadith

Updated on 24 September 2026 at 12:34 AM

📖 2 min read

Hadith text: A Bedouin came and urinated in a corner of the mosque

عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: «جاء أعرابِيُّ، فبَالَ في طَائِفَة المَسجد، فَزَجَرَه النَّاسُ، فَنَهَاهُمُ النبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلمَّا قَضَى بَولَه أَمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بِذَنُوب من ماء، فَأُهرِيقَ عليه».

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a Bedouin came and urinated in a corner of the mosque. So, the people rebuked him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped them and when he finished urinating, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that a bucket of water should be poured over that place, and they did so.

Explanation of the hadith: A Bedouin came and urinated in a corner of the mosque

Harshness and ignorance are natural habits of the Bedouins because they live in isolation from learning what Allah, the Almighty, revealed unto His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Once, while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was with his Companions in the mosque, a Bedouin entered and urinated in one corner of the mosque assuming it was an open space. His action offended the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), due to the mosque's sanctity. As a result, they rebuked him while he was urinating.

Knowing the habits of the Bedouins, however, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who was sent with ease and glad tidings ordered them to stop rebuking him, otherwise he would urinate on a larger spot in the mosque, or make his clothes impure, and to avoid harm had he been interrupted during passing urine. Moreover, he would be more inclined that way to accept the advice of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he advises him. He ordered them to purify the place where he urinated by pouring a bucket of water over it.

Categories : Removing Impurities · The rulings of mosques

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