HJ ZULHEIMY - DOWN MEMORY LANE: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: UMRAH 2015

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

18 April 2024

DECEMBER 16, 2016 - MECCA TO MADINAH

After completing the Tawaf Wida' or Farewell Tawaf, the pilgrims get on the bus to start the journey from Makkah al Mukarramah to Madinah al Munawarrah..

The travel distance from Mecca to Medina is approximately 424 kilometers. Remember the PLUS Highway in our country, there we can see many beautiful and interesting scenery... but the highway in Saudi Arabia only has hills and deserts, but the earth created by God is still beautiful.

The journey that takes 6-7 hours is very tiring. We stopped at an R&R that I don't remember where to pray for Maghrib and Isyak.

We arrived in Madinah al Munawarrah late at night. We were then taken to our hotel, Hotel Louloat Mubarak 3, which is located not far from Masjid Nabawi.

MADINAH AL MUNAWWARAH

Located in the Hejaz region of Western Saudi Arabia is one of the oldest and most important places in Islamic History, also one of the most sacred cities in Islam. Madinah is a modern city, the length of the forbidden land of Madinah is 16 km while the distance from Jeddah is about 420 km and from Mekkah is 480 km.

Madinah was opened by Yathrib bin Qaniah (Yathrib was the old name for Madinah before the Prophet s.a.w migrated from Mekkah to Madinah). It became the site of the development of Islam as soon as the Prophet s.a.w migrated to Madinah in 622 A.D.

Madinah is know as al-Madinah al-Munawwarah meaning "City of Light" or al-Madinah al-Nabawiyyah meaning "City of the Prophet s.a.w".

Madinah is also the place where the Prophet s.a.w is buried in the Sacred Chamber in Masjid Nabawi, along with two of his most faithful companions, the first two Caliph of Islam, Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq r.a and Saidina Umar al-Khattab r.a.

DECEMBER 17, 2015

This morning at 4 o'clock, we went to the Prophet's Mosque to perform the Sunat prayer and pray at Raudhah.

MASJID NABAWI

The Prophet's Mosque was originally built by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w in the month of Rabiulawal in the first year of the Hijrah (622 AD) after his arrival in Madinah and is the second holiest and largest mosque in the world after the Haram Mosque. Rasulullah s.a.w said, "One prayer in my mosque is better than praying a thousand times in any other mosque except Masjidil Haram."

The Prophet's mosque was the second mosque built, first being the Quba Mosque.

** The hadith about the advantages of praying 40 times in the Prophet's Mosque is disputed because one of its narrators, Nubait bin Umar, is considered weak. (Refer to Al-Silsilah al-Dha'ifah 1/366 no. 364 Fadhail Madinah, p. 435-436)

THE GRAVE OF THE PROPHET S.A.W

Inside the Prophet's Mosque is the resting place of the greatest person in the world, Rasulullah s.a.w., along with his two companions, namely Saidina Abu Bakar As Siddiq and Saidina Umar Al-Khattab. The grave of the Prophet s.a.w. is located in a building with a green dome (Al Khadrak). Next to the Prophet's tomb is Ar-Raudhah, a heavenly garden marked by white marble columns and green expanses.

RAUDHAH AL-MUTHAHAHARAH

A special place is located between the grave of the Prophet s.a.w and the pulpit. It is one of the best places to pray. It is considered a noble place, once described by the Prophet s.a.w as a garden among the gardens of heaven.

The Prophet s.a.w said:

"Between my house and my pulpit is a garden from the gardens of heaven. And my pulpit is over my pool."

(Sahih Bukhari no. 1196)

JANATUL BAQI'

Next to the Nabawi Mosque is Jannatul Baqi' (Baqi' Cemetery). It is estimated that more than 10,000 of the companions and family of Rasulullah s.a.w who died in Madinah are buried here. Nine Ummul Mu'minin (Wives of the Prophet s.a.w) were laid to rest in this Baqi' cemetery except for Sayadatina Siti Khadijah bt Khuwalid and Saidatina Maimunah bt Haris who were laid to rest in Makkah al Mukarramah.

Here is also the grave of the Ahlul Bait (the family of the Prophet s.a.w.) that is his children and grandchildren and also his noble companions.

The first Muhajirin to be buried in this Baqi' cemetery was Usman bin Ma'azun.