Thulaathiyaat, Hadeeth #2

حد ثنا سفيان: حد ثني عبد الله بن دينارعن ابن عمر(رضي الله عنهما) عن النبي (صلى الله عليه و سلم) قال: لا تدخلو على هؤلاء القوم الذين عذبوا اءلا أن تكو نوا با كين, فاءن لم تكونوا باكين, فلا تدخلوا عليهم, فاءني أخاف أن يصيبكم مثل ما أًصا بهم


Sufyaan (ibn 'Uyaynah) narrated to us from 'Abdullah ibn Deenaar from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (radhiAllahu 'anhumma) that the Prophet (allayhis salat wassallam) said, "Do not enter the ruins of the people who were previously punished unless you are weeping.2 If you are not weeping, then do not enter their ruins, for I fear that what has befallen them may also befall you."3

(Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 2, p.9. The isnaad of this hadeeth is saheeh according tot he conditions set by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.)



2) The Propht (allayhis salat wassalam) said to his companions when he led them, in 9 AH, in an expedition to Tabook (about 400 miles north of Madeenah) against the Roman forced on a reported invasion from Syria and reached al-Hijr, one of the archaeological remains of the Thamood, to whom Allah sent Prophet Saalih (allayhis salam). The arrogant Thamood people were severely punished by Allah when He sent to them thunderbolts, followed by terrible earthquakes which destroyed their homes and burried them: "So the might blast took the wrong-doers unawares, and they lay prostate in their homes before the morning." (Surah Hud, 11:67)


3) According to shiekh 'Abdul-'Azeez ibn Baaz (rahimuhuAllah), it is not permissible to visit the ruins of the people who were punished by Allah if the purpose of the visit is mere sightseeing. (Permenant Committee fatwa no. 26/394) Even the Prophet (allayhis salat wassallam) hurried as he passed by Waadi Muhassar between Mina and Muzdalifah, the very place where Allah destroyed Abrahah and his forces that came with a mighty army and elephants to destroy the Ka'bah. If one happens to pass by such ruins, one must contemplate the punishment that Allah inflicted on the sinners who disobeyed Him blatantly and feel the awe of the situation to the pont of weeping, otherwise one should hurry and leave.