The Beautiful Story and Sanctity of Madina: My Recent Visit to Madina Munawwara

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, New Age Islam 5 June 2023 “Act together in your daily efforts and then share the fruits of your labour among yourselves.” Recently, this writer got blessed by a non-obligatory spiritual pilgrimage to Makkah called 'Umrah', a shorter version of the annual obligatory Hajj. On this sacred occasion, Hajj and Umrah pilgrims pay a special visit to the holy city of Masjid an-Nabawi in Madina Munawwara--which is the holiest city after Makka al-Mukarram in Islam. For, it is the abode of the holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and he is reported to have said in a hadith reported in Sunan al-Daraqutni: "من زار قبري وجبت له شفاعتي" (Whoever visits my grave, she/he will be surely granted my greatest intercession, Shafa'at) This hadith has been authenticated and strengthened by Hafidh Taqi al-Din al-Subki highly venerated among the Sufi Orders as a great Qur'an exegete, Asha'ri scholar and Shafi'i jurist. Although the followers of Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn Abdul Wahhab i.e. the Salafis and and Hanbalis particularly in Saudi Arabia dismiss this Prophetic Tradition, Indian Muslims at large adhere to it with great love and devotion for the holy Prophet (pbuh). Thus, highly venerated by Indian Muslims, Madina Munawwara earns greater attention especially during the sacred days of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Madinah Munawwara Masjid Nabawi ------ In general, the holy city of Madina Munawwara is revered by all Muslims across the world because one of the two holiest sites of Islam, the Prophet’s mosque or Masjid-e-Nabawi is located in it. After the Ka’abah which is the first place of worship in the Abrahamic faith traditions built by Hazrat Ibrahim A.S and located in Masjid al-Haram, Masjid al-Nabawi is the second holiest site in Islam. This is the main significance of Madina among Muslims which is further sanctified by another sacred site situated in the same holy city--Masjid-e-Quba--the first mosque of Islam in Madina Munawwara. Significantly for Sufi Muslims around the world and especially in India, the first Sufi seminary of Islam known as "Dar us-Suffa", is also located within Masjid al-Nabawi. There was a special group of the mystically inclined companions (Sahaba) of the holy Prophet (PBUH) called Ashab us-Suffa. They used to engage in mystical brainstorming in a systematic way and regularly attended the formal spiritual learning in Dar us-Suffa provided by the Prophet (pbuh). Most significantly, the story of the construction of Masjid-e-Nabawi should move the Muslims of today. As the Prophet (Pbuh) and his companions were migrants from Makkah, they were called “al-Muhajirin”. And the local inhabitants of Madinah who welcomed the Muhajirin and greatly helped them were known as Al-Ansar (the helpers). The Ansar belonged to the two main tribes of Madinah, the Banu Khazraj and the Banu Aus, who had an age-old rivalry. But the Holy Prophet (PBUH) established brotherhood (Muwakhat) and mutual sympathy (Muwasat) between the two adversary tribes. These were the prophetic ideals which ushered in an era of spiritual bond between the two different tribes in Madinah- both helping each other, in every way possible. The Ansar of Madina assisted the Muhajirin by hosting them in their homes and providing for their financial and materials necessities. Remarkably, both the Ansar and Muhajirin took active part in the construction of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in particular and the entire city of Madina. This bond of brotherhood among the two different tribes was inspired by the holy Prophet’s spiritual training and instructions. He exhorted them both: “Act together in your daily efforts and then share the fruits of your labour among yourselves.” While the Ansar and Muhajirin were labouring and toiling hard in the construction of Masjid-e-Nabawi, the holy Prophet (pbuh) invoked Allah: “O Allah! Help the Ansar and the Muhajirin in strengthening a strong relationship between them.” The Prophet built the brotherly ties not only between the Ansar and Muhajirin but also among the different religious tribes of Madina who were earlier at the loggerheads. Consequently, the Ansar and Muhajirin were strengthened by a third group – the Jews of Madinah. The holy Prophet (pbuh) thus built a cohesive society in Madina where Muslims and Jews peacefully coexisted and shared their joys and grief. They professed and practised two different faiths and yet there was such an amicable relationship between Muslims and Jews that if anyone harmed a Jew, the first aid came from the Muslims of Madina – both Ansar and Muhajirin. This is how a harmonious, affectionate and cohesive society was built in the city of the holy Prophet – Madinah. Today, Muslims from across the world, especially from our country, India visit and venerate the sacred shrine of the holy Prophet (pbuh) to seek his blessings and find spiritual solace. The holy Prophet was born in Makka but he chose to migrate to Madina after he faced religious persecution at the hands of the Makkan pagans. While he was persecuted in Makka, people of Madina welcomed the Prophet (pbuh) with open arms and great warmth. Therefore, Madina Munawwara has great significance and sanctity in the spiritual Islamic traditions, especially in Sufism. After the completion of the Manasik-e-Haj (rituals of the Haj), it is highly recommended by the Sufi saints to perform Ziyarat of Rauza e Rasool (visitation of the Prophet's holy shrine), which is one of the most magnificent Islamic heritage in Madina. Besides the sacred shrine of the holy Prophet and the mosque of the Prophet (Masjid-e-Nabawi), Jannat ul-Baqi – the graveyard of the Prophet’s noble family, Ahl-e-Bayt and many companions and early spiritual masters of Islam -- has also a great place in Sufism. ---- Regular Columnist with Newageislam.com, Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an Indo-Islamic scholar and English-Arabic-Urdu writer. He graduated from a leading Islamic seminary in India, and acquired a Diploma in Qur'anic sciences and a Certificate in Uloom ul Hadith from the Al-Azhar Institute of Islamic Studies. He has also participated in the 3-year “Madrasa Discourses” program initiated by the University of Notre Dame, USA. Presently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. in Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. 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