Masjid an-Nabawi
Madina is ranked 2nd on the list of most attractive destinations for muslims. Its precursor is known as Yathrib, the city that was before the advent of Islam. It is worth to know that its name was changed to Yathrib after the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to it and then it was renamed as Madinatun Nabi or the City of the Prophet. Anyway, it is called Madinah. It is known as ‘Madinah Munawwarah’ which directly translates to ‘The Lighted City’ or ‘The Illuminated City.
Masjid Al-Nabawi, History, Significance, and Location
Masjid Al-Nabawi is known as the Prophet’s Mosque. Muhammad (peace be upon him) established the Prophet’s Mosque, which is currently located in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. In terms of significance, it is the second holiest mosque after Masjid al-Haram. This mosque was built after the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) migration to Madinah.
After the Hijrah (migration), Muhammad constructed this mosque. He arrived at the spot riding a camel. This land belonged to two young boys who offered to give it to him as a gift for the mosque’s construction, but Muhammad bought it from them.
Roza (Tomb) in the Mosque of Madinah
The Roza is located inside the mosque. The tombs of the first two Caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, as well as Muhammad (peace be upon him) are located there. Another tomb could be located in the surrounding empty space. Islamic religion states that Prophet Esha will come back to Earth and be buried here. There is a green dome over this whole area. This dome was built in 1817 AD during Sultan Mahmud II’s reign, and it was painted green in 1837 AD.
Riyadh al-Jannah, The Sacred Garden
Riyadh al-Jannah (Garden of Paradise) is a small but unique location located within the Madinah mosque. It reaches the pulpit from the Prophet’s tomb. It is common for pilgrims to make an effort to supplicate and pray here. Sometimes entry is impossible because of the crowds, especially during Hajj.
It is said that Riyadh al-Jannah is a component of Paradise. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, “The area between my house and my mimbar is one of the gardens of Paradise, and my mimbar is on my cistern (hawd).” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1196; Muslim, 1391.
Mihrabs
The mosque has two mihrabs, which indicate the qiblah. The first, constructed by Muhammad, is historically significant as a commemorative mihrab. The second, erected by Uthman, is larger and serves as the main mihrab for prayer.
In addition to these two, the mosque has several other prayer niches. One such niche is the Miḥrāb Fāṭimah, also known as Miḥrāb at-Tahajjud. Muhammad created this niche expressly for late-night prayers.
Minbars
Muhammad’s first minbar was a straightforward date palm wood block. Later on, a 50 cm by 125 cm tamarisk minbar took its place. A three-step ladder was erected in 629 CE, but Abu Bakr and Umar did not use the top step out of reverence for Muhammad. Subsequently, Uthman covered the remaining steps with ebony and the top step with a fabric dome.
During the ages, the minbar was replaced multiple times, most notably by Baybars I, Shaykh al-Mahmudi in 1417, and Qaitbay in 1483. The minbar of Qaytbay was moved to the Quba Mosque in 1590 when the minbar was replaced with a marble one by Ottoman ruler Murad III. As of 2013, the mosque still uses the Ottoman minbar.
Minarets
At first, Umar constructed four minarets, each standing 26 feet (7.9 meters) tall. Mehmed IV later renovated the minaret Bāb as-Salām (“Gate of Peace”), which al-Nasir Muhammad had added in 1307. Ten minarets, each measuring 104 meters (341 feet) in height, are now a feature of the mosque after a significant restoration project in 1994. Every minaret has a square base, an octagonal middle, and a cylindrical top.
