As children in the Madrasah, we were delighted to be told that scintillating crowds of men and women thronged the streets of Madinah on the event of the arrival of the Prophet, Muhammad (sallallaahualayhiwasallam) to the city, singing “their welcome in a song that even now is sung by Muslims in memory of that happy day” that: “Tala’a al-badru ‘alayna; min Thaniyyatil-Wadaa’/ wajaba ash-shukru ‘alaynaa; maada’aa li-llaahidaa’in” [meaning: The full moon has appeared before us; from the departure mountain-pass/ We must give thanks; whenever the supplicant beseeches Allah]. However, this age-long, immensely popular rhyme is a baseless ascription to the event in its chain and text!
According to the great scholar of hadith, HafidhIbnHajar al-Asqalaanee, the song has been related by AbooSa’eed in Sharaf al-Mustapha and al-Khal’ee in al-Fawaaid with a chain of reporters on the authority of ‘Ubaydullah bin ‘Aa’isha who narrated the story. [Fath al-Baaree 7/326]. Similarly, Imam al-Bayhaqee (rahimahullah) cited it in Dalaail an-Nubuwwah (2/506-7). [See al-Bidayah wan-Nihaayah 2/202, Silsilat ad-Da’eefah 2/63]. But ‘Ubaydullah bin ‘Aa’isha, on whose authority the story was reported is a 10th category reporter; i.e., those who did not even meet the Tabi’een. He died 228 years after the Hijrah and was as such, at least 120 yrs away from the event of the Hijrah making absolutely clear, the wide broken link between the narrator and the narration. Therefore:
a. HafidhIbnHajar (d. 852 AH) ruled that, “It is a Mu’dal, Faulty, chain.” [Fath al-Baaree 7/327].
b. His teacher, Hafidh al-‘Iraaqee (d. 806AH) also said, “The statement of Ibn ‘Aa’isha is Mu’dal, Faulty; it cannot be depended on as evidence.” [Al-Mawaahib al-Laduniyyah 1/313].
c. Imam Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee [d. 1420] said, “...but it is Mu’dal, Faulty; three or more reporters are missing in the chain of report...” [Silsilat ad-Da’eefah 2/63]. See also, TahreemAalaat at-Tarb (pg. 123).
d. Dr. AkramDiyaa al-‘Umaree said, “As for those reports which show that he was welcomed with the song: Tala’a al-badru ‘alayna; min Thaniyyatil-Wadaa’, no authentic chain has transmitted that.” [As-Seerat an-Nabawiyyah as-Saheehah 1/219].
e. Dr. Anees bin Ahmad al-Indoneesee after a detailed study of the chains of report that transmitted the rhyme in a separate research work concluded that, “It becomes clear from a detailed analysis of the chains of report that transmit the rhyme that it is not authentic because its chain is unreliable and the text is irregular.” [Tala’a al-badru ‘alayna: DiraasatunHadeethiyatun li al-Khabar wan-Nasheed pg. 43].
f. Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdullah al-‘Ushan included this rhyme in his book: Maashaa’awalamyathbut fee as-Seerat an-Nabawiyyah (Popular But Unreliable Reports Cited in the Prophet’s Biography) pg. 87-90.
As regards its text, Shaykh Muhammad bin Muhammad Hasan is among the researching scholars who analyzed the text of the rhyme and concluded that, “the rhyme is flimsy and fragile, it does not befit the style of speech of the period to which it is ascribed; it is perhaps, among the poems of the third century after Hijrah.” He also queried, “How could the people of Madeenah have said: ...sharrafta al-Madinah [meaning – you came to honour Madinah] while Madinah was only so named after Allah’s Messenger (sallallaahualayhiwasallam) arrived there?! Its name which they knew amongst them then was Yathrib!” [Tala’a al-badru ‘alayna: DiraasatunHadeethiyatun li al-Khabar wan-Nasheed pg. 12-13].
So, even though it is popular, it is not reliable to ascribe this rhyme to the event of the Prophet’s Hijrah – peace and blessings be upon him. How then did the people of Madinah receive the noble Messenger (sallallaahualayhiwasallam)?