SACRED PLACES AND MASJIDS OF MEDINA MUNAWWARA
MADINATUN NABI
(The city of the Prophet)
Holy Prophet (s.) said to Imam Husayn (a) : "My son! If someone visits me whilst I am alive or dead, or visits your father, your brother or yourself, it becomes WAAJIB on me to visit him/her on the day of Qiyamah and rescue him/her from his/her sins."
1. APPROACHING MADINA
As soon as you see the city, remember that it is the city of the Prophet (s.). You will be walking upon the very places where the Prophet (s.) walked. Remember that, although you cannot visualise him in the physical world, it is he to whom you send salaams in every salaat. Raise your hopes in anticipation of meeting him......
(Please note that many areas of Masjidun Nabi are partitioned off for the ladies)
ENTERING THE MASJID
Bab-e-Jibrail is the best door to enter from. It is located on the north west side of the masjid.
Ask permission to enter :
May I enter O Messenger of Allah?
May I enter O Fatima?
As you cross the threshold, enter with humility reciting:
Recite takbeer 100 times as you walk in.
Walking through the door you will see a structure ahead and to the left. It is the 'Zareeh'. The nearest end is the house of Bibi Fatima (a) whilst further to the left are the graves of the Prophet (s.), Abu Bakr and Umar. Greet the Prophet (s.) whilst standing as near as possible. stand in his presence as though he were still alive in the physical world. He knows you are there and that you have come to visit him. All your salaams reach him, for Allah sends angels to greet anyone from his Ummah who greets him. Recite the 'Ziyarah' of the Prophet (s.) and that of Bibi Fatima Zahra (a) for there is a hadith which states that she is buried in her own house. Remember the two rakaats salaat of Ziyarah.
Standing there raise your hands in duo and ask Allah for your needs standing in the presence of the Prophet (s.). The best ibadah in Masjidun Nabi is praying salaah (one's own qadhaa, parents' qaadha.......) Even if one is a traveller it is better to offer full salaat in the entire city of Madina.
THE ZAREEH
It is divided it into three parts. The first one (near Bab-e-Jibrail) is the house of Bibi Fatima Zahra (a) It is reported that she is buried there along with her son Muhsin. This is the house for which 'Suratud Dahr' was revealed, the house where the shahadat of Muhsin occured and the house where Hasanain were born.
The middle portion is the house of the Prophet (s.) and the last portion is the house of Ayesha where Abu Bakr and Umar are buried. In the middle portion it is said that there is the space for one more grave - for Prophet Isa (a) beside the Prophet (s.)
SUFFA (PLATFORM)
Directly behind Bibi Fatima's (a) house is a platform where a group of the Prophet's followers called 'Ahlul Suffa' used to stay. They were homeless. The Prophet used to sit and talk to them after 'salaatul tahajjud'. Follow his sunnah by reciting Qur'an here after salaat.
THE MIMBAR
Proceed to the mimbar, and if you can, try to run your hands over the knobs rubbing your face and eyes over it. It is said that this is a cure for the eyes. Stand by it praising Allah and ask for your needs. This is the place from which the Prophet (s.) used to deliver his sermons. The original mimbar was destroyed by fire in 654/1256
The Prophet (s.) has said:
One of the gardens of Jannah lies between my house and my mimbar (Riyadhul Jannah)
MIHRAAB
During the time of the Prophet (s.) the direction to qibla was marked by a stone. There are three mihraabs in Masjidun Nabi - the one which marks the original mihraab of the Prophet (s.) is the one to the left of the mimbar.
MARBLE PLATFORM (for Muaddhin)
Opposite the marble mimbar is a platform about 7 feet high - this marks the height of the original mosque on whose roof Bilal used to climb on, to give adhaan.
MAQAME JIBRAIL
This is where Jibrail used to stand when delivering wahi to the Prophet (s.).
PILLARS
There are three types of pillars in the masjid.
1. Red with golden lines on the bottom half - Put up during the time of the Prophet (s.) and are a part of the original masjid. (There used to be palm trunks)
2. All red - These were built after the wafat of the Prophet (s.)
3. Half red and half white - These are the pillars in Riyadhul Jannah (a garden of Jannah).
Eight pillars of Riyadhul Jannah have a significant historical background.
THE PILLAR OF 'TAHAJJUD'
This is in a corner in the house of Bibi Fatima Zahra (a). It is not visible but you will see a clock opposite the marble platform of Ahlul Suffa. The pillar is directly behind the clock. The Prophet (s.) used to recite his salaatul tahajjud here.
THE PILLAR OF 'JIBRAIL'
The pillar cannot be seen as it is completely inside the Zareeh. It is said that the Prophet (s.) used to sit here with Jibrail who used to tell him about the secrets of the universe.
THE PILLAR OF 'DELEGATION' (WUFOOD)
Wufood means delegations. When visitors from outside Madina came to visit the Prophet (s.), he received them here. The delegation from Najraan, for whom there was Mubahila was recieved here. For a moment stop and take yourself back in time appreciating the honour you have been granted by being invited here.
THE PILLAR OF 'GUARDING' (MAHRAS)
This is also known as the pillar of I. Ali (a). It is here where I. Ali (a) used to keep guard over the Prophet (s.) as he slept.
The Pillar of 'Sleeping' (Resting) (Sareer)
Sareer means bed. It is here that the Prophet (s.) used to rest during 'I'tikaaf'.
THE PILLAR OF 'YEARNING' (HANNANA)
Hannana is the sound of yearning a baby camel makes when it is separated from it's mother.
This is the pillar adjoining the mimbar of the Prophet (s.). The Prophet used to lean against a date palm trunk before the mimbar was built. After the mimbar was built, the Prophet (s.) used it for delivering his khutbas. On the first day when he sat on the mimbar, the 'hannana' sound was heard from the date palm. The Prophet (s.) came down from the mimbar, hugged the date palm and told it that it would accompany him to Jannah. When the date palm dried up and died, it was buried there and the pillar raised in it's memory is called as the "Pillar of Hannana".
THE PILLAR OF 'TAWBAH'
It is also known as the pillar of Abu Lababa.
When the Muslims first settled in Madina they had a peace treaty with the Jews who lived there. The Jews did not comply with the agreement and Allah ordered the Prophet to fight them. Abu Lababa leaked the news to the Jews (he was then a newly converted Muslim). Later he realised his error and tied himself to a date palm trunk in the masjid crying to Allah for forgiveness. His daughter used to untie him only for food, Salaat and to visit the bathroom. Otherwise he stayed tied to the date palm trunk day and night.
One day the Prophet (s.) was resting in the house of his wife Umme Salmah when the ayah of Qur'an 4:64 was revealed forgiving Abu Lababa. He smiled and went to untie Abu Lababa and gave him the good news.
The Prophet is reported to have said that had Abu Lababa come through him for forgiveness, his 'tawbah' would have been accepted immediately. Recite two rakaat salaat as ma'sumeen used to do here and ask Allah for the forgiveness of your sins.
THE PILLAR OF 'AYESHA'
There is a hadith, according to some Muslims, that the Prophet (s.) had said that there was a place in the masjid where there was a lot of thawab to pray and if people knew about it they would form long queues. After the Prophet died, it is said that Ayesha pointed out this place and a pillar was raised there.
DOORS
BAAB-E-JIBRAAIL
This is the door through which Jibrail used to enter when he came to see the Prophet (s.)
BAABUS SALAAM
Door from where the Prophet (s.) used to go to recite Salaatul Istisqaa (salaah for rain) and Salaatul Eid.
BAABUR RAHMAH
This was a door through which, those who had urgent requests, would come. When the Prophet (s.) saw them coming through this door he would see them immediately. The door thus came to be known as the door of mercy. Enter through this door and ask him for your hajaat.
THE HOUSES OF SADAAT
The corridor behind the zareeh (between Baab-e-Jibraail and Baab-e-Baqee) which has windows on the outer wall marks the place where the houses of the children of I. Hasan (a) and I. Zaynul Aabedeen (a) were situated. These houses were burnt down to extend the mosque and they were left homeless.
2. THE BAQEE GRAVEYARD
Baqee' means a garden. It is known as Jannatul Baqee because in it are buried many of the companions and relations of our Prophet (s.) Nearly 7000 of the Prophet's companions are buried here. Our 2nd, 4th. 5th & 6th Imams are buried here. According to some ahadith, Sayyida Fatima Zahra (a) too is buried here. Fatima binte Asad (the mother of I. Ali (a) , Ummul Baneen (the mother of H. Abbas a.s.)... are also buried here. Besides a few stones marking the graves, Baqee lies in ruins.
3. MASJID-E-QUBA
It is the first masjid built (even before the masjid of the Prophet in Madina). On his way to Madina from Makka during Hijra, the Prophet (s.) stayed in Quba for three days waiting for I. Ali (a) and the ladies of his household to join him. On his way out the people of Quba asked for a remembrance. The masjid was built as a memorial.
4. THE WATERING PLACE OF UMME IBRAHIM AND MASJID-E-FAZEEH OR RADDE SHAMS (RETURN OF THE SUN)
It is also near Masjid-e-Quba.
5. ALMAAH MOSQUE
It is on way from Masjid-e-Quba to Medina.
6. OHOD CEMETERY
Chief of the martyrs, Hamzah and other martyrs of Ohod are buried here.
7. AL-ASKAR MOSQUE AND MASJIDE SANAAYAA RASOOLALLAAH (S.A.W.A.)
These are also in Ohod.
8. THE SEVEN MOSQUES
These mosques are built at the site of the battle of Ahzaab (Khandaq). Their names are as follows:
1. Masjid-e-Fath.
2. Masjid-e-Ali (a)
3. Masjid-e-Salmaan (r.a.)
4. Masjid-e-Fatemah (a)
5. Masjid-e-Abu Bakr
6. Masjid-e-Umar
9. MASJID-E-ZU-QIBLATAIN (TWO QIBLAS)
(The masjid with two qiblaas) It is here that the Prophet (s.) was given the order by Allah to change the qibla from Baytul Muqaddas (Jeruselam) to the Ka'ba in Makka.
10. MASJID-E-GAMAMAH
It is here that the Prophet (s.) recited Salaatul Eid & Salaatul Istisqaa (salaat for rain). Also known as Masjid-e-Musalla.
11. MASJID-E-H. ALI (A) AND MASJID-E-H. ZAHRA (S.A.)
They are near to each other in Manaakha.
12. MUBAHILA MASJID
It is at the place where the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had come with Ali (a), Fatemah (a), Hasan (a) and Husain (a) to do Mubaahelah (invoke curse on the liars) with the Christian delegation of Najraan.
13. MASJID-E-SHAJARAH
It is the Meeqaat (place of wearing Ehraam) for the people of Medina or those who come for Hajj or Ziyarat of Kaabah.
14. MASJID-E-MOA'RRAS
It is recommended to pray and rest in this Mosque.
15. MOHALLA BANI HASHIM (RESIDENTIAL AREA OF BANI HASHIM)
This is where the houses of I. Zainul Aabedeen (a), I. Sadiq (a) and the progeny of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) were situated. They were demolished to facilitate the expansion of the Haram (Holy Sanctuary).
16. THERE ARE FEW OTHER MOSQUES ALSO:
Masjid-e-Abu Zar, Masjid-e-Nafs- e-Zakiyya, Masjid-e-Zafar, Masjid-e- Soqiyah, Masjid-e-Mosabbejad, Masjid-e-Ghazaalah or Masjid-e-Munsarif, Masjid-e-Bani Salim, Masjid-e-Bani Qorayza and Masjid-e-Raayah, etc.
Think of the events that happened at each place and take yourself back through time. Ponder over the lessons learnt and the way it changed the course of history.
It is recommended to pray two rakat namaz of honouring in all the Masjids, and to pray for oneself and others. Some of these places have special rituals which we shall mention in brief.
