A DAY OF ZIYARAH IN & AROUND MADEENAH AL MUNAWARAH The tour group visited a number of sites in and around Madeenah, as part of the ziyarah of the blessed places in the history of Islam on 03-01-15. They were as follows: THE BATTLE OF KHANDAQ The battle of al-Khandaq was one of the most violent battles that Muslims were engaged in. The Arab tribes gathered together against the Prophet (sallahu alihi wasallam), and therefore it was called ‘the battle of parties (ahzab)’. Muslims were very worried about it and fear prevailed over them. The Holy Quran has talked about that in this verse, (When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned dull, and the hearts rose up to the throats). This is one of the most difficult times the companions had to face through their unbelievable struggle against the forces of evil. Now a modern day road is all there is to indicate where the actual trench was dug around Madeenah to fortify the city. Also there is a masjid built which was the location of where many of the significant parts of the battle took place. MASJID AL QIBLATAIN: 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-Maqdis in Jerusalem to the Ka’bah in Makkah. During his time in Makkah, the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) used to pray towards Bait-al-Maqdis, with the Ka’bah in front of him. When he migrated to Madinah, he prayed towards Jerusalem for 16 months, but he hoped it would be changed to the Ka’bah. During Dhuhr prayer or it was said that it was Asr, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had led his Companions in praying two rak’ahs , 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 ] MASJID AL QUBA: Quba is the place on the outskirts of Madinah where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), accompanied by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived and first stayed after emigrating from Makkah. They arrived on Monday 12th Rab’i al-Awwal, fourteen years after Prophethood and this date marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar (Hijra), (16th July 622 CE). A masjid was established here by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), the first to be built in Islam. The virtue of Masjid Qubas is mentioned in the following Quranic verse in Surah Taubah: “…certainly a masjid founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it…” [9:108] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said: “He who purifies himself at his home and comes to Masjid Quba and offers two rakats therein, will be rewarded the reward of an Umrah (lesser pilgrimage).” [Sunan ibn Majah] The people of Yathrib (which was later named Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, the Enlightened City) had long awaited the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), and each day they would go beyond the fields and palm groves and wait for him until the sun became unbearable. One day the people returned to their homes after waiting a long time for the Prophet. A Jew happened to catch a glimpse of a small group of white-robed travellers in the distance. He called out: “O people of Arabia! What you have been waiting for has arrived!” MASJID AL JUMMAH: Quba is the place on the outskirts of Madinah where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), accompanied by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived and first stayed after emigrating from Makkah. They arrived on Monday 12th Rab’i al-Awwal, fourteen years after Prophethood and this date marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar (Hijra), (16th July 622 CE). A masjid was established here by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), the first to be built in Islam. The virtue of Masjid Qubas is mentioned in the following Quranic verse in Surah Taubah: “…certainly a masjid founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it…” [9:108] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said: “He who purifies himself at his home and comes to Masjid Quba and offers two rakats therein, will be rewarded the reward of an Umrah (lesser pilgrimage).” [Sunan ibn Majah] The people of Yathrib (which was later named Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, the Enlightened City) had long awaited the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), and each day they would go beyond the fields and palm groves and wait for him until the sun became unbearable. One day the people returned to their homes after waiting a long time for the Prophet. A Jew happened to catch a glimpse of a small group of white-robed travellers in the distance. He called out: “O people of Arabia! What you have been waiting for has arrived!” MOUNTAIN OF UHUD At the foot of Mount Uhud contains in the centre the graves of Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him), Abdullah bin Jasht (may Allah be pleased with him) and Mus’ab bin Umair (may Allah be pleased with him) who were all martyred in the Battle of Uhud. The rest of the martyrs of Uhud are buried behind this enclosure. Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib was one of the finest huntsmen and greatest warrior of the Arabs. In the battle of Badr, he had killed many of the Qurayshi nobles and now he cut his way through their ranks like a mighty wave sweeping all before it. One of the Qurayshi nobles had a black slave called Wahshi from Abyssinia (present Ethiopia) who could use the javelin with great skill. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, promised Wahshi freedom and his master Jubayr bin Mut’im also promised him the same as Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) had killed his uncle in Badr. Wahshi prowled amongst the fighters until he saw Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him). He says, “I held my spear and balanced it well, then I aimed it. It entered into his abdomen and went out the other side. I waited until he was dead, then I took my spear and went to wait in the camp. I had no quarrel with anyone. I killed him only to be set free.” Wahshi later on in life became a Muslim and killed Musailimah, the imposter who claimed Prophethood after the demise of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). When the tide of war turned towards the Quraysh, the women of Quraysh, led by Hind, whose brother, uncle and loved ones had been killed in Badr began to mutilate the Muslim dead. She particularly vented her fury on the body of Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him), cutting off his nose and ears, making a slit in his chest, taking out his liver, chewing it but unable to swallow it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was greatly grieved when he came upon the body of his beloved uncle. Years later, when Makkah lay open at his feet, he gave all its inhabitants, including Hind a free pardon. Hind subsequently accepted Islam. DATE GARDEN: Visit to a local date garden where many of the famous dates of Madeenah are harvested and where some of the trees are said to be hundreds of years old, now dead but the stumps are still standing.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 21:59:03 +0000