Madinah Munawwarah

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Madinah Munawwarah

 

Virtues & Etiquettes 

Visiting the Rowdhah

Places of Significance

 

Prepared by Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen

 

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Madinah Munawwarah

 

Words cannot describe the love and attachment each believer possesses for Madinah Munawwarah. It is the ardent wish and desire of every believer to be present in Madinah Munawwarah at all times and enjoy the serenity, peace and blessings found within its precincts.

 

Virtues of Madinah Munawwarah

Indeed Madinah Munawwarah is the envy of all the cities in the world, for it holds within its soil the best of all creation, Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The great fortune and preference afforded to Madinah Munawwarah can be easily seen in the fact that Allah Ta’ala specifically chose it for the hijrat (migration), residence and resting place of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The Ahaadith mention many virtues of Madinah Munawwarah. Few of which are mentioned below.

 

• Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) made special Duaa for Madinah Munawwarah: O Allah! Grant Madinah Munawwara double the blessings You granted Makkah Mukarramah. (Saheeh Bukhari #1885).

 

• “Between my house and my pulpit lies a garden from the gardens of Paradise (Saheeh Bukhari #1888)

 

• Whoever bears the difficulties and hardships of Madinah Munawwarah with forbearance, then I will intercede or be a witness for him on the Day of Qiyaamah. (Muslim # 3344)

 

Etiquettes of Madinah Munawwarah

It is indeed a great honour and privilege for a person to undertake this spectacular journey and become the neighbour of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) for a few days. In order to take maximum benefit from this great city and to avoid returning empty-handed, one is required to adopt a certain code of conduct. There are many things a person needs to consider while in Madinah Munawwarah, but for the sake of brevity just a few are mentioned below.

 

• One needs to correct his intention from home. One needs to ask oneself 'why am I undertaking this journey?’ It is indeed a great calamity for one to undertake such a momentous journey with an incorrect intention such as shopping etc. One’s intention should be to visit Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and to present salaam directly to him. What a great good-fortune! Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) mentioned in one Hadith, ‘Whoever comes to visit me with no other motive driving him to come to me, then it is a right upon me to intercede on his behalf on the day of Qiyaamah. (Tabraani).

 

• One should not harm, speak ill or hurt the feelings of the people of Madinah Munawwarah. These are the neighbours of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).  No matter what colour they may be, whether they are Arab or not, we must respect them because they are the people of the city of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). In one Hadith, Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) mentions, ‘Whoever plots against the people of Madinah Munawwarah will be destroyed just as salt dissolves in water’. (Saheeh Bukhari #1877)

 

• One should constantly recite durood shareef while in Madinah Munawwarah.

 

• One should ensure to read all his salaah in the Masjid-e-Nabawi. Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) mentioned: “A single salaah in my masjid is better than a thousand salaah in any other masjid except Masjid-e-Haraam.” (Saheeh Bukhari #1190)

 

• One should be watchful of his company and should not be influenced by the wrong ideologies of others, since all types of people are found in these holy lands.

 

• One should take out time and visit the various historical sites in Madinah Munawwarah and its surroundings such as Masjid-e-Qubaa, Badr, Uhud etc. to bring back the memories of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and Sahaabah (Radiyallahu Anhum) and their sacrifices for the cause of Islam.

 

• Make Duaa for death in Madinah Munawwarah. As Hadhrat Umar (Radiallahu Anhu) made Duaa “O Allah, grant me martyrdom in Your path and grant me death in the city of Your beloved (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). (Saheeh Bukhari #1890)

Al-Haadi

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Virtues of visiting the Raudha Mubaarak:

 

 

Presenting oneself in the court of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam is one the greatest acts of worship, for which great rewards and virtues have been promised in the Ahaadeeth. Hereunder are a few virtues:

 

1. “My intercession becomes necessary for the one who visits my grave.”(Daaraqutni/Bayhaqi)
2. “Visiting me after my death is akin to visiting me during my lifetime.”(Daaraqutni)
3. “The one who visits me with this being his sole intention will be in my company on the day of Qiyaamah.”(`Uqayli)

 

(A detailed discussion on the authenticity of these narrations can be seen in the book Shifaaus Siqaam li Ziyaarati Khairil Anaam of the Hadeeth Master Taqiyyud Deen As-Subki (r.a.) and other detailed works on this subject.)

 

One of the greatest virtues is that when a person presents himself before Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam and offers his salaam, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam personally listens and replies to his salaam. (See Shifaaus Siqaam and Alqoulul Badee` of Shamsud Deen As-Sakhaawi r.a.)

 

Together with the virtues, visiting the Raudha Mubaarak has always been the practice of the Ummah since the time of the Sahaabah y.

 

Mulla `Ali Qari (r.a.) – the great Qari, Mufassir, Muhaddith and Faqeeh – writes: “Visiting Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam is one of the greatest acts of worship, most virtuous of deeds, most promising means of attaining high ranks and is close to the position of the compulsory acts according to the consensus of the Muslims, regardless of those who oppose this view.” (Manaasik Mulla Ali Qari, pg. 502)

 

By this last statement Mulla `Ali Qari (r.a.) refers to some people who do not ascribe to any Mazhab. Under the pretext of directly following the Quraan and Hadeeth they contradict the entire Ummah and erroneously opine that it is impermissible to travel to Madinah Munawwarah with the intention of visiting Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. However, this view is against the practice of the Sahaabah and Taabi`een and is the direct result of abandoning the following of the illustrious Imaams of Fiqh.

 

Qaadhi `Iyaadh (r.a.) says: “Visiting the Qabr of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam is an accepted and unanimously agreed practice amongst the Muslims and an encouraged virtuous deed.” (Shifaaus Siqaam pg. 53)