The City of the Prophet will be deserted before the Last Hour:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The recent situation in Saudi `Arabia is such that many people have left the country either pursuing better job opportunities in other countries or due to circumstances wherein they had no choice but to leave. Whatever the reason, it is a reminder of the Ahaadeeth on how al-Madeenah, the City of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, will be deserted before the Last Hour.

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying:

يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَدْعُو الرَّجُلُ ابْنَ عَمِّهِ وَقَرِيبَهُ هَلُمَّ إِلَى الرَّخَاءِ هَلُمَّ إِلَى الرَّخَاءِ وَالْمَدِينَةُ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ رَغْبَةً عَنْهَا إِلاَّ أَخْلَفَ اللَّهُ فِيهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهُ أَلاَ إِنَّ الْمَدِينَةَ كَالْكِيرِ تُخْرِجُ الْخَبِيثَ ‏.‏ لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَنْفِيَ الْمَدِينَةُ شِرَارَهَا كَمَا يَنْفِي الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيدِ

“A time will come for the people (of al-Madeenah) when a man will invite his cousin and any other near relation: Come (and settle) at (a place) where living is cheap, come to where there is plenty, but al-Madeenah will be better for them; would they know it! By Him in Whose Hand is my life, none amongst them would go out (of the city) with a dislike for it, but Allaah would make his successor in it someone better than he. Behold. Al-Madeenah is like a furnace which eliminates from it the impurities. And the Last Hour will not come until al-Madeenah banishes its evils just as a furnace eliminates the impurities of iron.” [Saheeh Muslim (3188)]

Narrated Sufyaan bin Abu Zuhair رضي الله عنه: I heard Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم saying:

تُفْتَحُ اليَمَنُ، فَيَأْتِي قَوْمٌ يُبِسُّونَ، فَيَتَحَمَّلُونَ بِأَهْلِهِمْ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ، وَالمَدِينَةُ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ، وَتُفْتَحُ الشَّأْمُ، فَيَأْتِي قَوْمٌ يُبِسُّونَ، فَيَتَحَمَّلُونَ بِأَهْلِيهِمْ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ، وَالمَدِينَةُ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ، وَتُفْتَحُ العِرَاقُ، فَيَأْتِي قَوْمٌ يُبِسُّونَ، فَيَتَحَمَّلُونَ بِأَهْلِيهِمْ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَهُمْ، وَالمَدِينَةُ خَيْرٌ لَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

“Yemen will be conquered and some people will migrate (from al-Madeenah) and will urge their families, and those who will obey them to migrate (to Yemen) although al-Madeenah will be better for them; if they but knew. Sham will also be conquered and some people will migrate (from al-Madeenah) and will urge their families and those who will obey them, to migrate (to Sham) although al-Madeenah will be better for them; if they but knew. 'Iraq will be conquered and some people will migrate (from al-Madeenah) and will urge their families and those who will obey them to migrate (to 'Iraq) although al-Madeenah will be better for them; if they but knew.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1875) and Saheeh Muslim (3201, 3200)]

There is no sin in moving out of al-Madeenah, as the Ahaadeeth only mention disike of abandoning  it altogether. If it was sinful to move out of al-Madeenah, the Companions of the Prophet صلى اله عليه وسلم would not have done so. Companions like Mu`aadh Ibn Jabal, Abu `Ubaidah al-Jarraah, `Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood, `Alee bin Abu Taalib, Zubair bin al-`Awwaam رضي الله عنهم are a few who moved out from al-Madeenah and settled in various parts of the Islaamic world.

This migration will happen thrice:

i) During the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:

Narrated Jaabir رضي الله عنه: A bedouin came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: Please take my Pledge of allegiance for Islaam. So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم took from him the Pledge of allegiance for Islaam. He came the next day with a fever and said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: Cancel my pledge. But the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم refused and when the Bedouin went away, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

المَدِينَةُ كَالكِيرِ تَنْفِي خَبَثَهَا وَيَنْصَعُ طَيِّبُهَا

“Al-Madeenah is like a pair of bellows (furnace): It expels out the impurities (bad persons) and selects the good ones and makes them perfect.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1883, 7216)]

ii) When Dajjaal appears:

Narrated Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لَيْسَ مِنْ بَلَدٍ إِلَّا سَيَطَؤُهُ الدَّجَّالُ، إِلَّا مَكَّةَ، وَالمَدِينَةَ، لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ نِقَابِهَا نَقْبٌ، إِلَّا عَلَيْهِ المَلاَئِكَةُ صَافِّينَ يَحْرُسُونَهَا، ثُمَّ تَرْجُفُ المَدِينَةُ بِأَهْلِهَا ثَلاَثَ رَجَفَاتٍ، فَيُخْرِجُ اللَّهُ كُلَّ كَافِرٍ وَمُنَافِقٍ

“There will be no town which Ad-Dajjaal will not enter except Makkah and al-Madeenah, and there will be no entrance (road) (of both Makkah and al-Madeenah) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him, and then al-Madeenah will shake with its inhabitants thrice (i.e. three earthquakes will take place) and Allaah will expel all the non-believers and the hypocrites from it.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1881) and Saheeh Muslim (7577)]

iii) The final exodus will be before the advent of the Last Hour:

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: I heard Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم saying:

يَتْرُكُونَ المَدِينَةَ عَلَى خَيْرِ مَا كَانَتْ، لاَ يَغْشَاهَا إِلَّا العَوَافِ - يُرِيدُ عَوَافِيَ السِّبَاعِ وَالطَّيْرِ - وَآخِرُ مَنْ يُحْشَرُ رَاعِيَانِ مِنْ مُزَيْنَةَ، يُرِيدَانِ المَدِينَةَ، يَنْعِقَانِ بِغَنَمِهِمَا فَيَجِدَانِهَا وَحْشًا، حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَا ثَنِيَّةَ الوَدَاعِ، خَرَّا عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمَا

“The people will leave al-Madeenah in spite of the best state it will have, and none except the wild birds and the beasts of prey will live in it, and the last persons who will die will be two shepherds from the tribe of Muzainah, who will be driving their sheep towards al-Madeenah, but will find nobody in it, and when they reach the valley of Thaniyat-al-Wada`, they will fall down on their faces dead.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1874) and Saheeh Muslim (3203)]

Yahya related to me from Maalik from Ibn Himaas from his paternal uncle from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لَتُتْرَكَنَّ الْمَدِينَةُ عَلَى أَحْسَنِ مَا كَانَتْ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ الْكَلْبُ أَوِ الذِّئْبُ فَيُغَذِّي عَلَى بَعْضِ سَوَارِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ

“al-Madeenah will be left in spite of the best state it will have, until a dog or wolf enters it and urinates on one of the pillars of the Masjid or on the mimbar (pulpit).” They asked: Messenger of Allaah! Who will have the fruit at that time? He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied:

لِلْعَوَافِي الطَّيْرِ وَالسِّبَاعِ

“Animals seeking food, birds and wild beasts.” [Muwatta of Imaam Maalik (1608) and graded as “Dha`eef” with these wordings by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Dha`eefah (4299)]

And Allaah is the Granter of success.