Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:I have been commanded (to migrate) to a town (Medina) which would overpower other towns. They (the people) call it Yathrib; its correct name is (in fact) Medina. It eliminates (bad) people just as a furnace removes the alloy of iron.
وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، - فِيمَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِ - عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ، سَعِيدٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحُبَابِ، سَعِيدَ بْنَ يَسَارٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أُمِرْتُ بِقَرْيَةٍ تَأْكُلُ الْقُرَى يَقُولُونَ يَثْرِبَ وَهْىَ الْمَدِينَةُ تَنْفِي النَّاسَ كَمَا يَنْفِي الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيدِ " .
Muslim
The Book of Pilgrimage • Hadith 557