In relation to the narration that the Ansar sang the following lines of poetry when the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in al-Madinah:

طلع البدر علينا * * * من ثنيات الوداع

The full moon rose over us
From the valley of Wadaa’

وجب الشكر علينا * * * ما دعا لله داع

And it is incumbent upon us to show gratitude
For as long as anyone in existence calls out to Allah

Then this narration is weak. Imam al-Albani (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Weak. It was reported by al-Hasan al-Khal’ee in al-Fawaid and likewise al-Bayhaqi in Dalaail an-Nubuwwah from al-Fadl bin al-Habbaab, who said: I heard Abdullah bin Muhammad bin ‘Aisha who mentioned the narration.

This chain of narration is weak and its narrators are reliable; however, it is Mu’adl and there is three narrators or more missing. This Ibn ‘Aisha is from the Shuyookh of Imam Ahmad and he narrated it in Mursal form. So like that, Hafidh al-Iraaqi declared it defective in his Takhreej of al-Ihyaa. Then al-Bayhaqi said, as mentioned in Tareekh Ibn Kathir (5/23): ’This is what our Scholars mentioned that this occurred when he (ﷺ) arrived in al-Madinah from Makkah not when he came through the valley al-Wadaa’ when he arrived in from Tabuk”. This quote is from al-Bayhaqi is from the Scholars. This is what al-Bayhaqi was certain about and Ibnul-Jawzi in Talbees al-Iblees (pg. 251) with the verification of my companion Ustaadh Khairuddeen Waa’ili. However, the verifier of Ibn ul-Qayyim’s Zaad al-Ma’aad (3/13) refuted him saying: “it is an apparent mistake because valley al-Wadaa’ is at the end of Shaam which one approaching Makkah to al-Madinah will not see nor pass by except when heading to Shaam”. Along with this, the people continue to view the opposite of this verification. The story in its entirety is not established as you have seen. Note: al-Ghaazli mentions this story with the addition that there was “the duff and tunes” being played and there is no origin for this as Hafidh Ibn al-Iraaqi indicated with his statement: “There is no mention of duffs nor tunes”. Some of them use this addition that was reported and narrate this story with it and use it as evidence for the permissibility of Prophetic Anasheed which is well-known today! So it is said (to them): “Establish the throne and then argue”. Even if the story is authentic, there is no proof for what they take as an opinion as I have mentioned in Hadith (no. 579). So there is no need to repeat it [here]” End quote. [Silslatud-Da’eefah (no. 598)]

Shaikh Yahya bin Ali al-Hajuri (may Allah preserve him) said:

Question:

What is the authenticity of the lines of poetry: “The full moon rose over us / From the valley of Wadaa’’”. And was it said when the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in al-Madinah?

Answer:

“Al-Hafidh (may Allah have mercy upon him) mentioned it in Fathul-Baari in the seventh volume and he ruled that it is Mu’adl and likewise Ubaidaullah bin Abi ‘Aisha narrated it and he is a Tabi’ee. He narrated the story that when the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived, the People of al-Madinah mention this” End quote. [Asilah Abi Rawaaha al-Hadithiyyah wash-Shi’riyyah (pg. 9-10)]

The description of how the Prophet (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) entered into al-Madinah can be found in Saheeh al-Bukhari (no.). In that narration it mentions:

فَرَكِبَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَحَفُّوا دُونَهُمَا بِالسِّلاَحِ، فَقِيلَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ جَاءَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ، جَاءَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏

“Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr rode and the Ansar, carrying their arms, surrounded them. The news that Allah’s Prophet (ﷺ) had come circulated in al-Medina. The people came out and were eagerly looking and saying “Allah’s Prophet has come! Allah’s Prophet has come!”

And there is no mention of any singing or playing of the duff or tunes. And Allah Knows best.

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan