Madinah has 95 names, including Taibah, Tabah, Qubbat Al-Islam, Al-Mu'mina, Al-Mubarakah, Dar Al-Abrar, Dar Al-Sunnah, Dar Al-Akhyar, Dar Al-Fateh, Dhat Al-Hirar, Dhat Al-Nakhi, Al-Barrah and Al-Jaberah.
Madinah is the city of the Prophet, and also his burial place. It was the first Islamic city to support the Prophet (peace be upon him), and it joined him in fighting decisive battles which were instrumental in the victory of Islam and its subsequent spread.
This is the city of the Ansar, or "Supporters' and their brothers the Muhajireen, or "Emigrants", who together formed the first Islamic army which entered Makkah in triumph eight years after the Prophet's Hijrah, or Migration. It was a city which loved the Prophet, and which he in turn loved. On its soil he built his sacred mosque, and it was here that he was buried.
Madinah was also the city of the Orthodox Caliphs of Islam, who shouldered the responsibility of Jihad, or holy struggle, fighting against renegades and propagating Islam in the countries surrounding the Arabian peninsula.
It was the seat of the first Islamic state, and witnessed the Prophet's companions administering the affairs of the Moslem community, compiling the Holy Quran, and dispatching armies to Persia, Syria and Egypt.
It is now the city of the Second Holy Mosque, and the Monarch, government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia take pride in serving and developing it in keeping with its distinguished status in Islamic history.
LOCATION AND AREA:
Madinah is located in the north-western part of the Kingdom, to the east of the Red Sea, which lies only 250 km (155 miles) away from it. It is surrounded by a number of mountains: Al-Hujai, or Pilgrims' Mountain to the West, Sala' to the north-west, Al-E'er, or Caravan Mountain to the south and Ohud to the north.
Madinah is situated on a flat mountain plateau at the junction of the three valleys of Al-Agl, Al-Aqiq, and Al-Himdh. For this reason, there are large green areas amidst a dry mountainous region.
The city is 620 meters (2,046 ft.) above sea level. Its western and southwestern parts have many volcanic rocks.
Madinah lies at the meeting -point of longitude 39 and 36 degree east and latitude 24 to 28 north. It covers and area of about 50 square kilometers (19 square miles).
CLIMATE:
Madinah is very hot in summer, but its weather is moderate in autumn and spring and mild in winter.
POPULATION:
In 1926, Madinah's population totalled 50,000. Its population today is approximately 500,000.
1) The Dua for Madina and Its People
Yahya ibn Yahya related to me from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha al-Ansari from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "O Allah! Bless them in their measure, and bless them in their sa and mudd." He meant the people of Madina.
2) The Dua for Madina and Its People
Yahya related to me from Malik from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih from his father that Abu Hurayra said, "When people saw the first fruits of the season, they brought them to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took them and said, 'O Allah! Bless us in our fruits. Bless us in our city. Bless us in our sa and bless us in our mudd. O Allah! Ibrahim is Your slave, Your Khalil and Your Prophet. I am Your slave and Your Prophet. He prayed to You for Makka. I pray to You for Madina for the like of what He prayed to You for Makka, and the like of it with it.' Then he called the smallest child he saw and gave him the fruits."
3) Residing in Madina and Leaving It
Yahya related to me from Malik from Qatan ibn Wahb ibn Umayr ibn al-Ajda that Yuhannas, the mawla of az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam informed him that he was sitting with Abdullah ibn Umar during the troubles (at the time of al-Hajaj ibn Yusuf) . A female mawla of his came and greeted him. She said, "I want to leave, Abu Abd ar-Rahman. The time is harsh for us." Abdullah ibn Umar said to her, "Sit down, O you with little knowledge, for I have heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'No one will be patient in hunger and hardship in it (Madina) except that I will be a witness or intercede for him on the Day of Rising.' "
4) Residing in Madina and Leaving It
Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir from Jabir ibn Abdullah that a Bedouin took an oath of allegiance in Islam with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. A fever befell the Bedouin at Madina. He came to the Messenger of Allah, and said, "Messenger of Allah, release me from my pledge." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, refused. Then he came to him again and said, "Release me from my pledge." The Messenger of Allah may Allah bless him and grant him peace, refused. Then he came again and said, "Release me from my pledge." He refused. Then he came again and said, "Release me from my pledge." He refused. The Bedouin left and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Madina is like the blacksmith's furnace. It removes the impurities and purifies the good."
5) Residing in Madina and Leaving It
Malik related to me that Yahya ibn Said said, "I heard Abu'l-Hubab Said ibn Yasar say that he heard Abu Hurayra say that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'I was ordered to a town which will eat up towns. They used to say, 'Yathrib,' but it is Madina. It removes the bad people like the blacksmith's furnace removes impurities from the iron.' "
6) Residing in Madina and Leaving It
Malik related to me from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "No one leaves Madina preferring to live elsewhere, but that Allah will give it better than him in place of him
7) Residing in Madina and Leaving It
Malik related to me from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father from Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr that Sufyan ibn Abi Zuhayr said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Yemen will be conquered and the people will be attracted to it, taking their families and whoever obeys them. Madina would have been better for them, had they but known. Ash-Sham will be conquered and people will be attracted to it, taking their families and whoever obeys them. Madina would have been better for them, had they but known. Iraq will be conquered and people will be attracted to it, taking their families and whoever obeys them. Madina would have been better for them, had they but known.' "
8) Residing in Madina and Leaving It
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Himas from his paternal uncle from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Madina will be left in the best way that it is until a dog or wolf enters it and urinates on one of the pillars of the mosque or on the mimbar." They asked, "Messenger of Allah! Who will have the fruit at that time?" He replied, "Animals seeking food, birds and wild beasts."
9) Residing in Madina and Leaving It
Malik related to me that he had heard that when Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz left Madina, he turned towards it and wept. Then he said, "O Muzahim! Do you fear that we might be among those that Madina casts off?"
isited them and said, 'Father, how are you? Bilal, how are you?'" She continued, "When Abu Bakr's fever worsened he would say, 'Every man is struck down among his people in the morning - death is nearer than the strap of his sandal.'"
When it left Bilal, he raised his voice and said, 'Would that I knew whether I will spend a night at the valley of Makka with the idhkhir herb and jalil herb around me. Will I go one day to the waters of Majinna? Will the mountains of Shama and Tafil appear to me?' " '
A'isha continued, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and informed him. He said, 'O Allah! Make us love Madina as much as we love Makka or even more. Make it sound and bless us in our sa and mudd. Remove its fever and put it in al-Juhfa
