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The Prophet's Display of a Dead Goat in the Market

The Prophet's Display of a Dead Goat in the Market represents the historical event where the Prophet Muhammad taught his companions the insignificance of worldly pleasures in the sight of Allah by holding a dead goat with a small ear in the Medina market.

Diğer

The Prophet's Display of a Dead Goat in the Market

Location

Medina, Saudi Arabia

Map

History

This incident is one of the most striking moments when the Prophet Muhammad gave his companions a vivid and concrete life lesson. One day, the Prophet visited the market; he was accompanied by his companions. He encountered a dead goat with a small ear. Holding the animal by its ear, he said: "Who among you would like to buy this for a dirham?" The companions replied: "It's worth nothing! Moreover, it's dead; what shall we do with it?" The Prophet said: "By Allah, the value of this world in the sight of Allah is less than the value of this goat in your eyes." This hadith is considered one of the most concise and striking expressions teaching asceticism, detachment from worldly pleasures, and that true value lies in the Hereafter. The Prophet conveyed an abstract truth through a concrete example in an extremely effective manner. The event took place in the Manaha Bazaar of Medina or another market nearby. [Source: Muslim, "Zuhd", 2; Ibn Majah, "Zuhd", 3]

Importance and Narrations

The Prophet raised the dead goat and said to his companions: "Who among you would like to buy this for a dirham?" — "It's worth nothing," they said. The Prophet: "I swear by Allah that the value of the world in the sight of Allah is less than the value of this goat in your eyes." [Source: Muslim, "Zuhd", 2; Ibn Majah, "Zuhd", 3]