ZIARAH OF MADINAH-E-MUNAWWARAH

Medinah-e-Munawawwarah is another holy city,400 kms from Makkah-e-Mo-azzamah. Makkah is the birth place of our holy prophet and Madinah is the city where he migrated and passed away from this world and was also laid to rest in its soil only.

Previously this city was known as yasrib prior to the Hijrah (migration) of the holy prophet yasrib means a shelter of all diseases; but the arrival of Rasool-e-Kareem converted it into a city of excellence, virtue and holiness and a center of cure and recovery from every disease. Now this city should not be named as yasrib, but it must be called, Madinah, Tayyibah, Taabah and daar etc. Rasool-e-Akram declared that the city of Madina casts off all evil just as dirt is casted off when the iron is melted.

The Haram-e-Madina consists of a sacred Hujrah (room) with the holy grave of Rasool-e-Akram and adjacent to it two graves of 1^st Kaalifah Abu Bakr Siddique Akbar and 2^nd Khalifa Omer Farooque-e-Azam

An octagonal wooden tomb quoted with pewter (tin) was first erected over these sacred graves by Sultan Qualaadoon in the year 678 Hijri. Later tomb was on pillars from the ground in the year 886 Hijri. Then in the year 980 Hijri Sultan Saleem Osmani Made a Grand Blue Coloured tomb instead of a white one. Finally, due to cracks appeared in it, Sultan Mahmood Bin Abdul Majeed Osmani Constructed a New tomb with green colour and lead plate quoted over it in the year 1233 Hijri Which is existing till today as the focus of eyes of crores of Muslims all over the world.

Adjacent to this sacred room, a vast Mosque is there known as Masjid-e-Nabawi, built by the holy prophet on arriving here after Hijrah from Makkah. This Mosque now extended a lot and has got 41 entrances: each of them is called a baab. by entering through baab-e-jibreel,there is an area of white marbelled pillars which is known as Riadhul-Jannah ( Garden of Heaven). It is situated between the mimbar and the sacred room about which Rasool-e-Akram declared, “The area between my room and my mimbar is a garden from the gardens of Jannat (Heaven). 

The excellence of Madinah: Rasool-e-Kareem declared:

1)   A Rakaat Namaaz Performed in my Masjid is Equivalent to the reward of fifty thousand Rakaats Namaaz at anywhere except at Haram-e-Kaabah.

2)   If one performs forty Namaazes (Continuously) in my Masjid so that he Misses no Namaaz, then he will be free from hell, torment and hypocrisy.

3)   One who goes to Makkah for Haj; thereafter intends visiting me in my Masjid; the rewards of two Mabroor (accepted) Haj will be recorded from him.

4)   One who performs haj and visits my grave after my death, is as if he visited me during my lifetime.

5)   One who visits my grave, my intercession for him becomes waajib.

6)   Whosoever performs Haj and does not Visit my grave, verily. He has shunned me. 

Order of Ziarah in Quraan: The scholars have pointed out the following two Quranic Verses in which mention is made to visit Madina-e-Munawwarah.

(WALAO ANNAHUM IZ ZALAMOO ANFUSAHUM JAA-OOKA FASTAGHFARULLAHA WASTAGHFARA LAHUMUR RASOOLU LAWAJADULLAHA TAWWABAR RAHEEMA).

Translation: if they had only, when they wear unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked Allah’s forgiveness, for them, they would have found Allah indeed off-returning; most merciful.

(Suratun-nisaa verse no.64)

(WA-IZU JA-AKAL-LAZEENA YU’ MINOONA BI-AAYAATINA FAQUL SALAAMUN ALAIKUM KATABU RABBUKUM ALA NAFSIHIR RAHMATA ANNAHU MAN AMILA MINKUM SOO-AN BIJAHALATIN SUMMA TAABA MIN BALDIHI WA ASLAHA FA – ANNAHOO GAFOORUR RAHEEM.

Translation: when those come to thee who believe in our signs, say; peace on you; your lord had inscribed for himself, mercy, verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented and amended, lo! He is off-forgiving, most merciful. (Suratul-An’aam Verse no .54).

Arrival at Madinah: Before you enter the city of Madinah put on your best clothes and continue as much Drood and Salaam as possible. On arrval at Madinah, to Masjid-e-Nabawi.

Entry into Masjid-e-Nabavi: Take a fresh bath, use your Miswaak, put on neat and best clothes preferably white as it was too favourite to Rasool-e-Kareem apply perfume and before entering Masjid-e- Nabawi gives some charity to entering Masjid-e-Nabavi. Give some charity to the poor. As soon as you come near the masjid by saying.

(AS-SALATU-WAS-SALAAMU ALAIKA YA RASOOLALLAH)

Translation: O’ Apostle of Allah. Drood and Salaam upon you.

Stop three for a few moments as if seeking permission from Rasoolullah from Ziarath. Three (41) entrances and ten minarets to this Mosque. Enter the Mosque through any entrance preferably through Bab-e-Jibreel or Babus-Salaam by stepping right foot first exercising humility utmost respect and devotion uttering this Do’aa

(ALLAHUMMAF-TAH LEE ABWAABA RAHMATIKA WA NAVAIETU SUNNATHAL- LETIKAAF WASS-SALAATU WASS SALAAMO ALA YA RASOOLALLAH)

Translation: O Allah! Open for me the doors of your mercy and I intend sunnah of letikaaf” Then you will be granted the reward of Nafl letikaaf as long as you are in the Mosque, and salaat and salaam be on Rasoolullah.

Riazul Jannah: By entering through Bab-e-Jibreel, There is a room of bibi Fatima Khatoon-e-Jannath at left, bypassing which you will enter the area known as Riazul-Jannah (the garden of Heaven) perform three two Rakaats Nafl if it is not a makrooh time. Riazul-Jannah consists of a 330 sq.m area with twenty marble pillars each known as Ustuwaanah. Out of them, seven pillars are important and auspicious having historic backgrounds namely:

1) Ustuwaanah-e-Hannaanah

2) Ustuwaanah-e-Aa’isha.

3) Ustuwaanah-e-Abu Lubaabah or Toubah.

4) Ustuwaanah-e-Sareer.

5) Ustuwaanah-e-Ali or Hirs.

6) Ustuwaanah-e-Wufood.

7) Ustuwaanah-e- Jibreel.

Note: First Three Pillars are visible clearly in a raw. The next three pillars are merged in green grills with half visible from out side as it is within green grills. The diagram indicating them may be referred to on the next page.

Try to perform Fardh and Nafl Namaaz at these pillars whenever possible during your stay.

Also, perform Namaaz now and then at Mehraab-e-Tahjjud and suffah (small platform) where a selected band of sahabah (companions) of the holy prophet used to occupy and perform prayers.

 Maqsoorah and Muwaajjaha-Shareef: -Rouza containing the graves of the holy prophet and his two Khalifa,encosed by the grills of iron and brass with a door always closed is known as Maqsoorah its portion opening in green grill. The opening bigger in size just opposite the holy grave of our prophet known as Muwaajjahah-e-Shareef and the other two are opposite to his first and second Khalif in sequence.

1)   Approach Muwaajah-Shareef with utmost humbleness and respect and stand facing it with your back towards the Quibla at last a metre away. Keep your eyes down imagining that Rasool-e-Akram is present, alive and he is looking at you and listening to whatever you say. Standing before the sacred grave, offer your salaam in a soft and low voice as follows.

(ASSALAM-WAS-SSALAAMU-ALAIKA YA RASOOLALLAH.

ASSALATU-WAS-SALAAMU-ALAIKA YA NABIALLAH.

ASSALATU-WAS-SALAMU-ALAIKA YA HABEEBALLAH.

ASSALATU-WAS-SALAAMU-ALAIKA YA SHAFEE-UL-MUZNIBEEN INDALLAH

ASSALAAMU-ALAIKA WA ALA AALIK WA ASHAABIKA WA UMMATIKA  AJMA’EEN).

Translation: Salath and salaam be upon you O’ Allah’s Rasool (Apostle) salath and salaam be upon you O’ Allah’s Nabi (prophet) salath and salaam be upon you O’ intercessor of sinners salaam be upon you and upon your Aal and all your Ashaab and your Ummah. 

Render as much as Drood and salam and also convey salams on behalf of yourself, your parents, Teachers, Murshid Family and children, relatives, well-wishers, friends and all Muslims and repeatedly beg for the intercession of the holy prophet.

2)   Now move about an arm’s length to your right, and stand just facing the grave of 1^st Khalifa Syedna Abu Bakr Siddique and offer salam as follows:

(ASSALAMU ALAIKA YA SYEDINA ABA-BAKRINIS-SIDDIQUE RAZIALLAHU ANKA. ASSALAAMU ALIKA YA KHALIFATA RASOOLILLAH. ASSALAAMU ALAIKA YA VAZEER-RASOOLILLAH)

Translation: salam be upon you O’ Syedina Aba-Bakrinis-siddique salam be upon you O’ khalif of Rasoolullah. Salam be upon you O’ wazir (Deputy) of Rasoolullah. 

3)   Then move about an arm’s length to your right side and stand just facing the grave of 2^nd khalif syedina omer-e-Farooque and offer salam as following:  

(ASSALAMU ALAIKA YA SYEDINA OMER ABNIL KHATTAAB RAZIALLAHU ANKA. ASSALAMU ALAIKA YA AMEERAL MOMINEEN.ASSALAMU ALAIKA YA IZZAL-ISLAMI WAL MUSLIMEENA WA RAHMATULLAHI WA BARKATUHU).

Translation: salaam be upon you O Syedina Omer Bin Khattab salaam be upon you O’ ameer of Momineen. Salaam blessing and fortunes of Allah be upon you O Dignity of Islam and Muslims. 4)Then move to a span’s length to your left and stand between Abu-Bakr Siddique and Omer Farooque and offer salaam as following:

(ASSALAMU ALAIKUMA YA KHALIFATAE

 RASOOLILLAH. ASSLAMU ALAIKUMA YA WAZIRAE

RASOOLILLAH.AS’ALUKUMASH-SHAFA’ATA INDIA RASOOLILLAHI SALLALLAHU TA’AALA ALAIHI WA ALAIKUMA WA BAARAKA WA SALLAMA)

Translation: salaam be upon both of you O Khalifs of Rasoolullah. Salaam be upon both of you O’ deputies of Rasoolullah, I beg both of you for intercession before Rasoolullah. Blessing, fortune and salaam be upon him and upon both of you. 

Etiquette of how to Stay at Madinah:

a)   Stay in Madinah with utmost devotion, respect, reverence and humility.

b)   During your stay in Madinah, respect and honour all the residents of the sacred city. Overlook, forgive and forget their faults or misbehaviour if any. Verily, ill-treating and hurting them may result in ruining one’s dunyaa and hereafter; because Rasool-e-Kareem declared. May Allah ill-Treat that person who ill-treats the people of Madinah and on such people shall be the curse of Allah, His angels, and all the people. Neither his Fardh nor his Nafl duties will be accepted.

c)   Do not avoid sunnah, otherwise, your pious deeds devotions and sacrifices, etc. will not be accepted by Allah.

d)   Do not complain or comment against any hardship of Madinah, but tolerate it with love and patience; because Rasool-e-Kareem declared, whoever lives in Madinah and bears with patience its hardships and trials, for him I will be a witness and intercessor on the dooms day (Quiamath).

e)   Try to pass maximum time at Rouza-e-Mubaarak and Masjid-e-Nabawi engaged in Prayers, Quran recitation, Drood, salaam and Charity except for certain essential necessities.