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Visiting
Madinah is not a rite of Hajj or `Umrah, but
the unique merits of the Prophet's city and his
mosque attract every pilgrim to visit it. Muslims'
hearts are always drawn to the city that witnessed
the construction of the edifice of Islam and from
which the shining rays of the message spread.
Muslims are always eager to visit the city they
have cherished for long and to pray in the mosque
established by their beloved Prophet. Such a visit
revives the Muslims' faith and devotion and
reminds them of the great sacrifices and tireless
endeavor of the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) and his Companions to deliver to us the
invaluable gift of Islam.
Because visiting
Madinah is not part of Hajj, you may choose
whether you will visit Madinah, and if so, whether
before or after the Hajj or `Umrah. There is no
ihram or Talbiyah for the visit to Madinah or the
Prophet's Mosque.
Merits of Madinah
Madinah is the city that accommodated the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his
Companions when they migrated from Makkah. At the
time, the Muslim residents of Madinah, known as
theAnsar (the Helpers), showed unbelievable
generosity and solidarity with the Muhajirun (the
Immigrants). Together, the Muhajirun and the Ansar
struggled to uphold the cause of Islam and to
convey its message to all corners of the globe.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
highlighted the merits of Madinah:
It (Madinah) expels the (bad) persons from
it, as fire expels the impurities of iron.
(Al-Bukhari)
And he supplicated Allah on its behalf:
O Allah! Bestow on Madinah twice the
blessings You bestowed on Makkah.
(Al-Bukhari)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related
that whenever the Prophet returned from a journey
and observed the walls of Madinah, he would make
his mount go fast because of his love for Madinah.
(Al-Bukhari)
Merits of Visiting the Prophet's Mosque
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
participated in the construction of this mosque,
called it "my mosque," and led prayers
in it for years. Visiting this mosque and praying
in it are immensely rewarding. The Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) said,
One prayer in my mosque is better than one
thousand prayers in any other mosque excepting
Al-Masjid Al-Haram (of Makkah).
Imagine! One prayer earns you a reward better
than making a thousand prayers. So you should
seize the opportunity of being in Madinah and pray
as many prayers in the Prophet's Mosque as
possible.
Moreover, the mosque has a very special place;
a garden from Paradise (Ar-Rawdah). The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said,
The space between my house and my pulpit is
a garden of the gardens of Paradise.
(Al-Bukhari)
When entering the mosque, start with your right
foot. Say the du`aa' of entering mosques:
A`udhu bi-llahi al-`azheem, wa bi-wajhihi
al-kareem, wa sultanihi al-qadeem, mina
ash-shaitani ar-rajeem. Allahumma salli `ala
Muhammad. Allahumma ighfirli dhunubi
waftah li abwaba rahmatik.
I seek refuge with Allah the Supreme, I
seek refuge with His honored face, with His
everlasting authority, from the cursed Devil. In
the name of Allah. O Allah, bless Muhammad! O
Allah! Forgive my sins and open Your doors of
mercy for me.
Then pray two rak`ahs as a greeting for
the mosque before you sit down. After that you may
go to visit the beloved Prophet and His two
Companions Abu Bakr and `Umar.
Visiting the Prophet's Grave
Face the Prophet's grave and greet him saying:
As-salamu `alayka, ya rasul Allah.
As-Salamu `alayka, ya nabi Allah. Ash-hadu an
la ilaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu annaka
`abduhu wa rasuluh, wa ash-hadu annaka qad
ballaghta ar-risalah, wa-addyta al-amanah, wa
nasahta al-ummah wa-jahdta fi allahi hak
jihadih.
Peace be upon you, Messenger of Allah.
Peace be upon you, Prophet of Allah.
I testify that there is no true god but
Allah, and that you are Allah's servant and
messenger.
I testify that you conveyed the message,
fulfilled the mission, advised the Ummah, and
made the due struggle in the cause of Allah.
Then move two or three steps to the right to
face the grave of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be
pleased with him) and greet him saying
As-salamu `alayka, ya Aba Bakr. Jazak
Allahu khair al-jazaa'.
Peace be upon you, Abu Bakr. May Allah give
you the best of reward.
Move another two steps to the right to greet
`Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with
him) saying:
As-salamu `alayka, ya `Umar. Jazak Allahu
khair al-jazaa'
Peace be upon you, `Umar. May Allah give
you the best of reward.
After that, move to another place, face the
qiblah, and supplicate Allah Almighty for
yourself, your family, and the whole Ummah.
Some people try to touch the walls of the
Prophet's grave in pursuit of blessings. Others
throw into the room papers on which they have
written requests of the Prophet, or they ask him
to bless and heal them. All these practices are
unacceptable innovations. It is Allah Almighty
alone Who is to be supplicated and asked for cure
and blessings.
Visiting the Baqi` Cemetery
Visiting cemeteries is an efficient means to
soften your heart and to remember the inevitable
fate that awaits each and every person. Such
visits remind you of the next life and prompt you
to prepare for the life to come. The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Visit
the graves, for that makes you mindful of
death" (Muslim).
Baqi` is the cemetery of Madinah. It is the
place where most of the Prophet's wives and a
great number of his Companions were buried.
Visiting Baqi` is a good chance to recollect the
stories of sacrifice and tireless effort done by
those great men and women in defense of Islam.
When you visit Baqi`, say the du`aa'
taught by the Prophet:
As-salamu `alaYkum ahla ad-diyyari mina
al-Mu'minina wal-Muslimin, wa inna in sha'
Allahu bikum lahiqun. As'alul-laha lana
wa-lakumu al-`afiyah.
Peace be upon you, inmates of the abodes of
the believers and the Muslims, and Allah
willing, we will follow you. I pray to Allah
for well-being for ourselves and for you.
Visiting the Qibaa' Mosque
This mosque was built when the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) approached Madinah in
his migration from Makkah.
The Prophet used to go to the mosque of Qibaa'
every Saturday and pray in it (Al-Bukhari). He
promised a special reward for praying in it:
Whoever cleans himself in his house and
goes to the Qibaa' Mosque and prays in it a
prayer will be given the reward of performing
`Umrah.
Visiting Mount Uhud
The area beside Mount Uhud witnessed the second
important battle between Muslims and the
polytheists known as the Battle of Uhud. In this
battle, 70 of the Prophet's Companions were
martyred and the Prophet himself was severely
injured. Among the martyrs was Hamza ibn
Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle and one of the
Muslim veterans, hailed by the Prophet as the
master of martyrs. Visiting Mount Uhud and
greeting its martyrs is a reminder of these great
sacrifices.
When you reach the martyrs' graveyard, say the
above du`aa' of visiting the graves. You
may also supplicate Allah to grant them mercy and
forgiveness and to be pleased with them.
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