The Exceptions of Mecca (Hadith No. 112)

Salam,
Bismillah.

In Hadith no. 104, we learnt about the sacredness of Mecca – the uniqueness of it. Some things that can be done in any other part of the Earth, cannot be done in this city. For example, killing (humans/animals) and cutting trees etc. Today’s Hadith will tell us about some exceptions regarding this sacredness…

Volume 1, Book 3, Number 112:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

In the year of the Conquest of Mecca, the tribe of Khuza’a killed a man from the tribe of Bani Laith in revenge for a killed person, belonging to them. They informed the Prophet about it. So he rode his Rahila (she-camel for riding) and addressed the people saying, “Allah held back the killing from Mecca. (The sub-narrator is in doubt whether the Prophet said “elephant or killing,” as the Arabic words standing for these words have great similarity in shape), but He (Allah) let His Apostle and the believers over power the infidels of Mecca. Beware! (Mecca is a sanctuary) Verily! Fighting in Mecca was not permitted for anyone before me nor will it be permitted for anyone after me. It (war) in it was made legal for me for few hours or so on that day. No doubt it is at this moment a sanctuary, it is not allowed to uproot its thorny shrubs or to uproot its trees or to pick up its Luqatt (fallen things) except by a person who will look for its owner (announce it publicly). And if somebody is killed, then his closest relative has the right to choose one of the two– the blood money (Diyya) or retaliation having the killer killed. In the meantime a man from Yemen came and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Get that written for me.” The Prophet ordered his companions to write that for him. Then a man from Quraish said, “Except Al-Iqhkhir (a type of grass that has good smell) O Allah’s Apostle, as we use it in our houses and graves.” The Prophet said, “Except Al-Idhkhiri.e. Al-Idhkhir is allowed to be plucked.”

– Murderer can be killed in Mecca (Qisas)

– The Izkhar (grass) can be cut in Mecca

Wassalam!