Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Madinah Munawarrah (“the enlightened city”) ranks as the second holiest place in Islam after Makkah. It is the city that gave refuge to the Prophet Muhammad (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) and the early Muslims upon their migration from Makkah and where lies the burial place of the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم). The city of Madinah was originally known as Yathrib.

It is reported by Anas (رضي الله عنه)

Whenever the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) returned from a journey and observed the walls of Madinah, he would make his mount go fast, and if he was on an animal (i.e. a horse), he would make it gallop because of his love for Madinah

Bukhari

The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) said

“For the believer, Madinah is the best place. If only they could understand it’s virtue fully, they would never leave it, and whoever departs from Madinah, having become disenchanted with it, Allah will send someone better to replace him. And whoever bears patiently the ordeals of Madinah, for him shall I be an intercessor(or witness) on the Day of Qiyamah.”

Muslim

It is reported by Aisha (رضي الله عنھا)

When we came to Madinah, it was an unhealthy, uncongenial place. Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) fell sick and Bilal (رضي الله عنه) also fell sick; and when Allah’s Messenger (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) saw the illness of his Companions he said: “O Allah, make Madinah as beloved to us as you made Makkah beloved or more than that; make it conducive to health, and bless us in its sa’ and mudd’ (two standards of weight and measurement) and transfer its fever to Juhfa.”

Bukhari

It is mentioned in another hadith

“There will be no town which Ad-Dajjal (the anti-Christ) will not enter except Makkah and Madinah, and there will be no entrance (road) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him, and then Madinah will shake with its inhabitants thrice and Allah will expel all the nonbelievers and the hypocrites from it.”

Bukhari

Reported by Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه)

The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) said, “Verily, Belief returns and goes back to Madinah as a snake returns and goes back to its hole (when in danger).”

Bukhari

The area between the Sacred Chamber and the Pulpit (Mimbar) is known as the Riadhul Jannah i.e. Garden of Paradise. It is presently distinguished by a green carpet and is also referred to as Rawdah.

Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) said

“Between my house and my pulpit lays a garden from the gardens of Paradise, and my pulpit is upon my fountain (Al-Kauthar).”

Bukhari

Du’as are accepted at the Hajar al-Aswad and on the Day of Judgement it will testify in favour of all those who kissed it.

The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) said

“By Allah! On the Day of Qiyamah, Allah will present the Hajar al-Aswad in such a manner that it will have two eyes and a tongue to testify to the Imaan (faith) of all those who kissed it.”

Tirmidhi

This raised platform, behind the Rawdah Mubarak and in line with Bab-e-Jibraeel, is the approximate place where the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) used to spread his prayer mat and perform the Tahajjud salah from time to time.

This is Masjid Qiblatain (Mosque of the Two Qiblas). It is historically important to Muslims as this is where in Rajjab 2 AH the revelation of the Quran came to change the direction of the Qibla from Bait-al-Muqaddas in Jerusalem to the Ka’bah in Makkah.

During Dhuhr prayer (or it was said that it was Asar), the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) had led his Companions when he was commanded to face towards the Ka’bah by the following revelation in the Quran in Surah al-Baqarah

“Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Muhammed’s) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction.”

2:144

The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) turned around towards the Ka’bah and the Sahabah copied out of obedience. Thus the Ka’bah became the new Qibla of the Muslims for all time to come.

Masjid Qiblatain used to uniquely contain two mehrabs, one in the direction of Bait-al-Maqdis and the other towards Makkah. However, the old mehrab has now been covered.

Masjid Jummah, on the boundary of Madinah marks the site where the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) led the first Jummah salah, shortly after his Hijrah (migration) from Makkah. It is about 2.5 km from Masjid-e-Nabwi.

The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) left Quba on a Friday to head into Madinah. About a kilometer from Quba he passed the village of Banu Salim bin Auf. The people of Banu Salim implored: “O Prophet of Allah, you stayed at the homes of our cousins for a number of days, reward us too with something, for they will pride themselves over us till the Day of Judgement that you stayed with them”. The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) dismounted and offered his first Jummah in their locality.

Masjid Mustarah is where the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) rested and prayed after the battle of Uhud. The meaning of Mustarah is to ‘take rest’.

This site was an important strategic location for the security of Madinah.

Whenever the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) used to visit the grave of Hamza (رضي الله عنه) and the other martyrs of Uhud he used to take rest here.

Masjid Shaikhain marks the spot where the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) prayed salah on the eve of the battle of Uhud on the 14th Sha’ban 3AH (625 CE). The preparations for the battle were made here.

This is a section of Mount Uhud, in front of which the second battle in Islam (the Battle of Uhud) took place in 3 AH.

Of this mountain the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) declared

“This mountain loves us and we love it.”

Muslim

Masjid Bani Haram holds historical importance as it stands in the area where the clan of Bani Haram lived. This is also where the camps of the Muslims were based during the Battle of Ahzab (War of the Trench). The house of the sahabi Jabir (رضي الله عنه) was located here.

Jannatul Baqi (Garden of Heaven) is the main cemetery of Madinah. Buried there are many members of the Prophet’s (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) close family, around ten thousand of his companions (Sahabah) and many prominent, pious personalities.

Aisha (رضي الله عنھا) reported (that whenever it was her turn for the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) to spend the night with her) he would go out towards the end of the night to al-Baqi and say

“Peace be upon you, abode of a people who are believers. What you were promised would come to you tomorrow, you receiving it after some delay; and God willing we shall join you. O Allah, grant forgiveness to the inhabitants of Baqi al-Gharqad.”

Muslim

Jabl Ayr (Mount Ayr) is the second largest mountain in Madinah after Uhud and marks the southern boundary of Madinah. (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) described it as a mountain of Hell.

‘Ayr’ means a ‘wild ass’, whereas Uhud is derived from Ahad, meaning ‘one’, — so called because it is fated to be the place of victory to those who worship one God. The very names, say Muslim sages, make it abundantly evident that even as the men of Al-Madinah were of two parties, friendly and hostile to the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم), so were these mountains.Muadh-bin-Jabal (رضي الله عنه) was once looking for the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) and kept enquiring after his whereabouts until he finally found him in prostration in the above cave.Aisha (رضي الله عنھا) reported (that whenever it was her turn for the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) to spend the night with her)

The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) declared,

“Uhud is a mountain which loves us and which we love, it is upon the Gate of Heaven” adding, “And Ayr is a place which hates us and which we hate, it is upon the Gate of Hell.”