Originally, Madinah was known as “Yathrib”. Historians mention that this name came from a man who lived there, known to be sick and this sickness was thought to curse those who visited. Aisha (r) herself mentioned that “when we reached Medina, it was the most unhealthy of Allah’s lands, and the valley of Bathan (the valley of Medina) used to flow with impure colored water” (Bukhari 1889). Many of us know the virtues and blessings of Makkah, however the prophet (s) made du’a to Allah to bestow twice the blessings on Madinah as He had bestowed upon Makkah (Bukhari 1885). Madinah is home to the Prophet’s Mosque, Masjid Nabawi, which is the second holiest and largest mosque in the world. It also hosts other Mosques like Masjid-Al-Quba and Masjid-Al-Qiblatayn.
Introduction to Madinah and the part it plays in Hajj and Umrah
The city of Madinah was originally known as Yathrib, an oasis city dating as far back as the 6th century BCE. The city of Madinah was not unfamiliar to the Prophet (ﷺ) when he emigrated there. His father Abdullah was buried there and when he was six years old he had travelled with his mother Aminah and their devoted slave girl Barakah (later to be known as Umme Ayman). Madinah is 210 miles (340 km) north of Makkah. At the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), the part of Madinah which was mainly inhabited by the Muhajireen (Emigrants) was approximately the size of the present masjid and the surrounding white tiled area.
Masjid al Nabawi is amongst the holiest sites in Islam. The mosque was made by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the wake of the migration from Makkah to Madinah (Hijrah). According to Islamic history, it took Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions eight months to build Masjid al Nabawi 1,401 years ago. The construction of Masjid al Nabawi started in September 622 AD (Rabi-ul-awaal), and the mosque was completed in April 632 AD (Shawwal).
Stating the significance of Masjid al Nabawi, The Messenger (PBUH) of Allah SWT said, “Whoever visits me after my death is like he who had visited me during my life.
Originally, Madinah was known as “Yathrib”. Historians mention that this name came from a man who lived there, known to be sick and this sickness was thought to curse those who visited. Aisha (r) herself mentioned that “when we reached Medina, it was the most unhealthy of Allah’s lands, and the valley of Bathan (the valley of Medina) used to flow with impure colored water” (Bukhari 1889). Many of us know the virtues and blessings of Makkah, however the prophet (s) made du’a to Allah to bestow twice the blessings on Madinah as He had bestowed upon Makkah (Bukhari 1885). Madinah is home to the Prophet’s Mosque, Masjid Nabawi, which is the second holiest and largest mosque in the world. It also hosts other Mosques like Masjid-Al-Quba and Masjid-Al-Qiblatayn.
Introduction to Madinah and the part it plays in Hajj and Umrah
The city of Madinah was originally known as Yathrib, an oasis city dating as far back as the 6th century BCE. The city of Madinah was not unfamiliar to the Prophet (ﷺ) when he emigrated there. His father Abdullah was buried there and when he was six years old he had travelled with his mother Aminah and their devoted slave girl Barakah (later to be known as Umme Ayman). Madinah is 210 miles (340 km) north of Makkah. At the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), the part of Madinah which was mainly inhabited by the Muhajireen (Emigrants) was approximately the size of the present masjid and the surrounding white tiled area.
Masjid al Nabawi is amongst the holiest sites in Islam. The mosque was made by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the wake of the migration from Makkah to Madinah (Hijrah). According to Islamic history, it took Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions eight months to build Masjid al Nabawi 1,401 years ago. The construction of Masjid al Nabawi started in September 622 AD (Rabi-ul-awaal), and the mosque was completed in April 632 AD (Shawwal).
Stating the significance of Masjid al Nabawi, The Messenger (PBUH) of Allah SWT said, “Whoever visits me after my death is like he who had visited me during my life.
Often people will travel to Madinah from Makkah, and to do so, there are a variety of options an individual can opt for. The distance between Makkah and Madinah is 434.3 KM, which would take roughly 4 hours to drive, and this could be the cheapest option.
There is, however, new high-speed Haramain train which is becoming an increasingly popular option. The train is a much safer and faster way of reaching the Holy cities. The classes and seats are comfortable and it’s new and clean and the train takes 3 hours from Makkah to Madinah.
A one-way ticket in economy costs £35 / 160 SAR per person and children pay half price and a one-way ticket in business costs £55 / 263 SAR per person and children pay half price.
The Train is a service from Makkah to Madinah but it is not a direct link, it makes 1 or 2 stops depending on your train to Jeddah Central train station and to King Abdullah Economic city before arriving in Makkah or Madinah. The Makkah Haramain Highspeed train station is located about 10- minute taxi drive from the Haram and the Madinah Haramain train station is located about 10 minutes from Masjid Al Nabawi as well.
Madinah has a rich pallete, sure to be favourable to all its guests - rice, chicken and camel meat are among the local tastes of the cuisine in Madinah.
Memaz Restaurant and Cafe is a brilliant Mediterranean and Lebanese restaurant located on the King Abdullah Branch Road in Madinah. The cuisine further ventures into Middle Eastern and Turkish. In combining fine dining, and good coffee, they offer a geat selection of salads, soups, pizzas, grills and delicious desserts with great customer service in a beautiful setting. The restaurant has both air conditioning indoors and outdoor seating as well as parking and plentiful space for families.
300-400 Tonnes of Zam Zam water are consumed in Madinah per day, compared to 2,000 Tonnes in Makkah. The water from the Zamzam well comes from two springs; one located near Mount Abu Qubais and the other from the direction of the Holy Kaaba. Zamzam water is said to have calcium in abundance. Because of this, it affects the human body in a positive way by promoting the growth of bones and providing sufficient vitamins and minerals to cells. The process in which Zam Zam water is transferred from Makkah to Madinah and especially to the Prophet’s Mosque, is a heavily monitored process, with it being assessed upon arrival to Madinah. Nonetheless, Zam Zam is still a profound blessing available in Madinah