With the blessed month of
Dhul-hijjah ahead of us and countless number of pilgrims making their way
towards Makkah-tul-Mukarramah & Madinah-tul-Munawwarah- an article about the
sanctity and the respect of the blessed land of Madina-tul-Munawwarah is quite
apt. The blessed land where the natives not only opened their hearts and souls
to welcome the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) into their midst but
also the muhajireen- the natives of Quraish who to escape the persecution by the
Kuffar also made their way to Madinah Shareef and there- the natives shared all
their worldly possessions with their brethren in faith!
SubhanALLAH! This was the way that the muslims are to behave but in today's
time- forget the fact that the muslims will think of (GOD Forbid) sharing BUT in
fact they actually plot, plan and scheme to take over the belongings and
possessions of their muslim brothers & sisters as well!
This article briefly elucidates the merits and virtues of the holy land of
Madinah-tul-Munawwarah- the land that became the final resting place of the
Beloved of ALLAH- Prophet Muhamamd (Peace be upon him),his blessed family- the "Ahle-Bayt-e-kiraam",his
various notable companions and also of his blessed and pious wives- the
"umm-a-hat-ul-momineen" and also of the sacred Mount Uhud- the mountain that
loved the beloved of ALLAH (Peace be upon him) so much so that during the battle
of Uhud- when the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was wounded and
needed a place to rest in when this mountain Uhud- opened up itself & formed a
cave for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to take rest
in!!SubhanALLAH! The Beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) declared this
mountain to be one of the mountains of heaven and that he (Peace be upon him)
loves this mountain since this mountain loves the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace
be upon him).
Hadrat Muhaddis Hazarvi (Quddisa sirruhul azeez) said in his prose of love of
the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):
Milti hai sabko khair, dar-e-mustafa pai chal
Mahmood hai salah wahan faiz-e-ameem ki
Everyone receives blessings, on the threshold of Mustafa (Sallallahu alaihi wa
aalihi wassallam)
It is a felicitous invitation where the blessings are commonly spread.
It is situated in Madina-tul-Munawwara and this sacred mountain is also one of
the signs of the Holy Prophet Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) Nubuwwah.
Nahin hota koi momin khuda ka
na ho jab tak ke Imaan-e-Muhammad (sallaallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam)
No one becomes a believer of ALLAH
Until he believes in the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
Narrated Hadrat Anas bin Maalik (radhiyallahu anhu): The Prophet (Sallallahu
alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) said, “Madinah is a sanctuary from that place to
that. Its trees should not be cut and no heresy should be innovated nor any sin
should be committed in it, and whoever innovates in it an heresy or commits sins
(bad deeds), then he will incur the curse of ALLAH, the angels, and all the
people.” (Bukhari)
Narrated Hadrat Anas(radhiyallahu anhu): The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa
aalihi wassallam) came to Madinah and ordered a masjid to be built and said, “O
Bani Najjar! Suggest to me the price (of your land).” They said, “We do not want
its price except from ALLAH” (i.e. they wished for a reward from ALLAH for
giving up their land freely). So, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi
wassallam) ordered the graves of the pagans to be dug out and the land to be
levelled, and the date-palm trees to be cut down. The cut date-palms were fixed
in the direction of the Qibla
of the (Grand) masjid. (Bukhari)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Huraira (radhiyallahu anhu): The Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi
wa aalihi wassallam) said, “I have made Madinah a sanctuary between its two (Harrat)
mountains.” The Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) went to the tribe
of Bani Haritha and said (to them), “I see that you have gone out of the
sanctuary,” but looking around, he added, “No, you are inside the sanctuary.” (Bukhari)
Narrated Sayyedna ‘Ali(KarramALLAHu wajhahul kareem): We have nothing except the
Book of ALLAH and this written paper from the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa
aalihi wassallam) (where-in is written:) Madinah is a sanctuary from the ‘Air
Mountain to such and such a place, and whoever innovates in it an heresy or
commits a sin, or gives shelter to such an innovator in it will incur the curse
of ALLAH, the angels, and all the people, none of his compulsory or optional
good deeds of worship will be accepted. And the asylum (of protection) granted
by any Muslim is to be secured (respected) by all the other Muslims; and whoever
betrays a Muslim in this respect incurs the curse of ALLAH, the angels, and all
the people, and none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship will be
accepted, and whoever (freed slave) befriends (take as masters) other than his
manumitter s without their permission incurs the curse of ALLAH, the angels, and
all the people, and none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship
will be accepted. (Bukhari)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Huraira (radhiyallahu anhu): ALLAH’s Beloved Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said, “I was ordered to migrate to a town which
will swallow (conquer) other towns and is called Yathrib and that is Madinah,
and it turns out (bad) persons as a furnace removes the impurities of iron.” (Bukhari)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Humaid(radhiyallahu anhu): We came with the Prophet (Sallallahu
alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) from Tabuk, and when we reached near Madinah, the
Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) said, “This is Tabah (meaning the
good one).” (Bukhari)
Hadrat Jaabir bin Samrah (radhiyallahu anhu) says; “I heard
Rasulullah(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) say: ‘ Verily ALLAH named
Madinah, Taabah(meaning the good one) or Tayyibah(the pure).”
Hadrat Sa’ad (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullullah (Sallallahu alaihi
wa aalihi wassallam) said: “I declare haraam that area between the rocky lands
on both sides of Madinah, that it’s vegetation be not cut down nor that animals
be hunted within it’s area.” Rasullullah(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam)
also 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 I
shall be an intercessor(or witness) on the Day of Qiyaamah.” (Muslim)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Huraira(radhiyallahu anhu): If I saw deers grazing in
Madinah, I would not chase them, for ALLAH’s Beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be
upon him) said, “(Madinah) is a sanctuary between its two mountains.” (Bukhari)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Huraira(radhiyallahu anhu): I heard ALLAH’s Beloved Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) saying, “The people will leave
Madinah in spite of the best state it will have, and none except the wild birds
and the beasts of prey will live in it, and the last persons who will die will
be two shepherds from the tribe of Muzaina, who will be driving their sheep
towards Madinah, but will find nobody in it, and when they reach the valley of
Thaniyat-al-Wada’, they will fall down on their faces dead.” (Bukhari-chapter "fazail-e-Madinah"
Hadith no.1874)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Zuhair(radhiyallahu anhu): I heard ALLAH’s Beloved Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) saying, “Yemen will be
conquered and some people will migrate (from Madinah) and will urge their
families, and those who will obey them to migrate (to Yemen) although Madinah
will be better for them; if they but knew. Sham will also be conquered and some
people will migrate (from Madinah) and will urge their families and those who
will obey them, to migrate (to Sham) although Madinah will be better for them;
if they but knew. ‘Iraq will be conquered and some people will migrate (from
Madinah) and will urge their families and those who will obey them to migrate
(to ‘Iraq) although Madinah will be better for them; if they but knew.” (Bukhari-
chapter "fazail-e-Madinah" Hadith no.1875)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Huraira(radhiyallahu anhu): ALLAH’s Beloved Prophet Muhammad
(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) said, “Verily, Belief returns and goes
back to Madinah as a snake returns and goes back to its hole (when in danger).”
(Bukhari-chapter "Fazail-e-Madinah" Hadith no. 1876)
Narrated Hadrat Sad (radhiyallahu anhu): I heard the Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi
wa aalihi wassallam) saying, “None plots against the people of Madinah but that
he will be dissolved (destroyed) like the salt is dissolved in water.” (Bukhari-chapter
"Fazail-e-Madinah" Hadith no. 1877)
Narrated Hadrat Usama(radhiyallahu anhu): Once the Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi wa
aalihi wassallam) stood at the top of a castle amongst the castles (or the high
buildings) of Madinah and said, “Do you see what I see? (No doubt) I see the
spots where afflictions will take place among your houses (and these afflictions
will be) as numerous as the spots where rain-drops fall.” (Bukhari- chapter "Fazail-e-Madinah"
Hadith no. 1878)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Bakra(radhiyallahu anhu): The Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi wa
aalihi wassallam) said, “The terror caused by Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal will not enter
Madinah and at that time Madinah will have seven gates and there will be two
angels at each gate guarding them.” (Bukhari-chapter "Fazail-e-Madinah" Hadith
no. 1879,7125,7126)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Huraira(radhiyallahu anhu): ALLAH's Beloved Prophet
Muhammad(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) said, “There are angels guarding
the entrances (or roads) of Madinah, neither plague nor Ad-Dajjal will be able
to enter it.” (Bukhari-chapter "Fazail-e-Madina" Hadith no.1880,5731,7133)
Narrated Hadrat Anas bin Malik(radhiyallahu anhu): The Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi
wa aalihi wassallam) said, “There will be no town which Ad-Dajjal will not enter
except Makkah and Madinah, and there will be no entrance (road) (of both Makkah
and Madinah) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him,
and then Madinah will shake with its inhabitants thrice (i.e. three earth-quakes
will take place) and ALLAH will expel all the nonbelievers and the hypocrites
from it.” (Bukhari chapter "Fazail-e-Madina" Hadith no.1881,7124,7134,7473)
Narrated Hadrat Abu Saeed Al-Khudri(radhiyallahu anhu): ALLAH’s Beloved Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) told us a long narrative about
Ad-Dajjal, and among the many things he mentioned, was his saying, “Ad-Dajjal
will come and it will be forbidden for him to pass through the entrances of
Madinah. He will land in some of the salty barren areas (outside) Madinah; on
that day the best man or one of the best men will come up to him and say, ‘I
testify that you are the same Dajjal whose description was given to us by
ALLAH’s Beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) .’ Ad-Dajjal will say to
the people, ‘If I kill this man and bring him back to life again, will you doubt
my claim?’ They will say, ‘No.’ Then Ad-Dajjal will kill that man and bring him
back to life. That man will say, ‘Now I know your reality better than before.’
Ad-Dajjal will say, ‘I want to kill him but I cannot.’ ” (Bukhari -chapter "Fazail-e-Madina"
Hadith no. 1882/ 7132)
Narrated Hadrat Jabir(radhiyallahu anhu): A bedouin came to the
Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) and gave a pledge of allegiance
for embracing Islam. The next day he came with fever and said (to the
Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) ), “Please cancel my pledge (of
embracing Islam and of emigrating to Madinah).” The Prophet(Sallallahu alaihi wa
aalihi wassallam) refused (that request) three times and said, “Madinah is like
a furnace, it expels out the impurities (bad persons) and selects the good ones
and makes them perfect.” (Bukhari- chapter "Fazail-e-Madinah" Hadith no.
1883/7209/7211/7216/7322)
Narrated Hadrat Anas Ibn Maalik (Radhiyallahu anhu) that the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) prayed to ALLAH to bestow double blessings as of
the ones bestowed on Makkah-tul-Mukarramah. (Bukhari- Chapter "Fazail-e-Madinah"
Hadith no. 1885)
Imam Muslim Ibn Hajjaj (Rahimahu ALLAH) in his Sahih Muslim- Kitaab-ul-Hajj
(Chapter- "Fadhlul Madinah wa dua-un-nabi'i- Peace be upon him- fiha bill
barakah") Hadith no. (3326) 466-(1369)- The holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon
him) did dua -O ALLAH! Bestow double the blessings of those that YOU have
bestowed on Makkah-tul-Mukarramah.
Narrated by Hadrat-e-Abdullah bin Zaid bin Aasim (Radhiyaallahu anhu) said that
the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said that the same way that
Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihis salam) made Makkah-tul-Mukarramah as a Haram and prayed
for its inhabitants- the same way I am making Madinah-tul-Munawwarah a Haram as
Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihis salam) made Makkah a Haram and am praying that the
weight of the rewards bestowed upon Madinah-tul-Munawwarah be double as that of
what Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihis salam) prayed for Makkah.( Sahih Muslim- Chapter "Fadhlul
Madinah wa dua-un-nabi'i- Peace be upon him- fiha bill barakah" Hadith no.
(3313)-454 (1360))
Here- a set of prose written by Sheikh-ul-Islam, Mujaddid-e-waqt- Hadrat Peer
Syed Mahmood Muhaddis Hazarvi (Quddisa sirruhul azeez) has written in his book-
"zaad-e-Mahmood"
jahan se khair milta hai
faqir us dar ka qa'ail hai
sag munkir pare bhonke
pasheman ho nahi sakta
Where Grace is found
The Faqir (Dervish) is inclined towards it
The disobedient slaves keep barking
the believers will not feel ashamed of their inclination
Narrated by Hadrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiyallahu anhu) said the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was brought the first-ripened fruits of the Holy
City of Madinah by the companions and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon
him) prayed to ALLAH to bless the fruits of Madinah, to bless the land of
Madinah, to bestow HIS Grace and bless the measuring capacity, i.e Sa'a and Mudd
(Mu'dd= 2 hands cupped together & a measure for dry foods & a Sa'a=4 amdaad or
4*hands cupped together) and he (Peace be upon him) said that the way Prophet
Ibrahim (Alaihis salam) was YOUR Worshipper,Khalil and Messenger of ALLAH- the
same way I am YOUR worshipper and Prophet and the same way that he (alaihis
salam) did dua for Makkah - I do dua for Madinah- the same way that he (alaihis
salam) did dua for Makkah and more. (Sahih Muslim- Chapter "Fadhlul Madinah wa
dua-un-nabi'i- Peace be upon him- fiha bill barakah" Hadith
no.(3334)-473-(1373))
Hadrat Abu Sa'id Maula al-Mahri (Radhiyallahu anhu) reported that they were hard
pressed by the distress and hardship of Medina, and he come to Abu Sa'Id al-Khudri
(Radhiyallahu anhu) and said to him: I have a large family (to support) and we
are enduring hardships; I have, therefore, made up my mind to take my family to
some fertile land. Thereupon Abu Sa'id said: Don't do that, stick to Medina, for
we have come out with ALLAH's Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him), and (I
think that he also said) until we reached 'Usfan, and he (the Holy Prophet along
with his Companions) stayed there for some nights. There the people said: By
ALLAH, we are lying here idle, whereas our children are unprotected behind us,
and we do not feel secure about them. This (apprehension of theirs) reached
Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), whereupon he said: What is this matter
concerning you that has reached me? (I do not retain how he said it, whether he
said like this: ) By HIM (in the name of Whom) I take oath, (or he said like
this: ) By HIM in Whose Hand is my life, I made up my mind or if you like (I do
not retain what word did he actually say), I should command my camel to proceed
and not to let it halt until it comes to Medina and then said: Sayyedna Ibrahim
(Alaihis salam)declared Makkah as the sacred territory and it became sacred, and
I declare Medina as the sacred territory-the area between the two mountains
('Air and Uhud). Thus no blood is to be shed within its (bounds) and no weapon
is to be carried for fighting, and the leaves of the trees there should not be
beaten off except for fodder. O ALLAH, bless us in our city; O ALLAH, bless us
in our sa'a; O ALLAH, bless us in our mudd; O ALLAH, bless us in our sa'a; O
ALLAH, bless us in our mudd. O ALLAH, bless us in our city. O ALLAH, bless with
this blessing two more blessings. By HIM in Whose Hand is my life, there is no
ravine or mountain path of Medina which is not protected by two angels until you
reach there. (He then said to the people: ) Proceed, and we, therefore,
proceeded and we came to Medina By HIM (in Whose name) we take oath and (in
Whose name) oath is taken (Hammad is in doubt about it), we had hardly put down
our camel saddles on arriving at Medina that we were attacked by the people of
the tribe of 'Abdullah b. Ghatafan but none dared to do it before.
Umm-ul-momineen Hadrat-e-A'isha siddiqa(ALLAH be pleased with her) reported:
When we came to Medina, and it was a place where epidemics were prevalent
(hence, it was also called 'Yasrab' as 'Yasrab'- a home of diseases), Hadrat Abu
Bakr (Radhiyallahu anhu) fell sick and Hadrat Bilal (radhiyallahu anhu) also
fell sick; and when ALLAH's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw the illness of
his Companions he said: O ALLAH, make Medina as beloved to us as you made Makkah
beloved or more than that and make it conducive to health, and blees us in its
sa' and in its mudd, and transfer its fever to al-juhfa. (Sahih Muslim- chapter
"at-targih fi sukn-al-Madinah wa sabr ala la'waiha wa shiddattiha" Hadith no.
(3342) 480 (1376))
Commentary: The love and esteem of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
is regarded as such that anything or anyone that the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(Peace be upon him) loves is held in high reverence in the eyes of The Almighty
ALLAH. The elevation of status of a person is dependent on his/her connection
with the Almighty ALLAH and THAT elevation is affirmed and endorsed ONLY through
intense love and devotion and following the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon
him) teachings and practices.This is the reason that the Ahle-Bayt are held in
high regards after the Prophets and Messengers of ALLAH because they are the
companions as well as the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon
him) because the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) have
the status as well as the honor of being a part of his noble self.The day when
the Trumpet will be blown - all other lineages will be nullified EXCEPT that of
the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). The same for the
virtuous companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Because
ALLAH has filled their hearts with HIS Special Mercy and Grace hence 124000
companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)- whether they were
the Muhajireen or the Ansars or those who embraced Islam before or after the
conquest of Makkah-tul-Mukarramah. Even thought their statuses vary between them
but any of their elevated states are incomparable to those of the rest of the
Ummah.
The visit of the Sacred Madinah-tul-Munnawwara as mentioned in the Hadith is a
requisite of the strengthening of Iman and any person visiting any of the sacred
or sacrosanct places during the act of Hajj or Umrah- even though they would
have completed all acts of Ibaadah (Worship) YET by failing to visit the Sacred
land of Madina-tul-Munawwarah where the final resting place of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is- those acts of worship will not carry any
guarantee in the eyes of The Almighty. Because the love of the land of
Madina-tul-Munawwarah carries equal or more weight than the love of
Makkah-tul-Mukarramah as per the prayer of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be
upon him) (ref. Sahih Bukhari- Chapter "Fazail-e-Madina" Hadith no.
1889/3926/5654/5677/6372).
This is the reason that Hadrat Umar Ibn Khattab (radhiyallahu anhu) used to pray
to ALLAH that to allow him to be martyred in the way of ALLAH and for him to
attain death in the blessed land of Madinah-tul-Munawwaarah- the city of the
holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). (Bukhari- Chapter "Fazail-e-Madinah"
Hadith no. 1890)
The land of Makkah-tul-Mukarramah was given the rewards equivalent to 100,000
due to the worship and connection of Sayyedna Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) and then
the blessed land of Madina-tul-Munawwarah received the rewards equivalent to
that of 50,000 and that of Bait-al-Maqdis Shareef- 25,000. Then the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) prayed to ALLAH to double HIS Grace & Favor on the
land of Madina-tul-Munawwarah- so ALLAH bestowed HIS Special Grace increasing
the rewards of worship to that equivalent to 250,000. Hence, 1 unit of prayer is
equal to 250,000 units of worship! ALLAHu Akbar!
Ending this article, another set of prose written by Sheikh-ul-Islam, Sultan-ul-arifeen
Hadrat Peer Syed Mahmood Muhaddis Hazarvi (Quddisa sirruhul azeez) is very
befitting to the narrations about the sanctity of Madina-tul-Munawwara and it
is:
ataaye haq ki jab mahmood hai
kismat usi dar se
to us dar ke siwa milne ka imka ho nahi sakta
Blessings are distributed from the threshold of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace
be upon him)
So, there is no chance of attaining blessings from anywhere BUT that threshold