Madina - 'al-madīnatu l-munawwara
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Zhra
Nov 28, 2006, 6:49:53 PM11/28/06
to Islam-in
City and oasis in Saudi Arabia with 870,000 inhabitants (2003
estimate), situated in Hijaz, in western Saudi Arabia, 160 km from the
Red Sea coast, at an elevation of 625 metres.
Madina is ranked as the 2nd most holy place in Islam, due to not being
the place for the highest cult, but for being the place where Islam
first established itself, and where Muhammad died and was buried.
Formerly it was referred to as either Madina al-Munawwara, 'The
Luminous City', or Madina Rasul Allah, 'City of God's Prophet'. Madina
is short for 'Madina an-Nabiy', 'Prophet's Town'.
While services and maintenance with the pilgrimages to Madina employ a
large number of the city's inhabitants, other activities are still of
much importance. Agriculture not longer relies on the traditional
wells, but uses pumps. The main produce are dates, other fruits,
vegetables and cereals. Dates of Madina are processed and packaged for
export. Industries of Madina are small-scale, involving automobile
repair, brick and tile making, carpentry and metal working.
Madina has excellent road connections with other urban centres of Saudi
Arabia. The airport has good national connections as well as links to
Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
Madina is a city of numerous religious buildings, many commemorating
central incidents in the earliest years of the Muslim history. The
central and most important of them all is the Prophet's Mosque, in
which Muhammad himself is buried. The Mosque of the Two Qiblahs is
interesting for commemorating the change of the prayer direction from
Jerusalem to Mecca. Also of interest is the Tomb of Hamza, Muhammad's
uncle who died at the Battle of Uhud.
Despite the objections of the early ulama to rever Muhammad as a human
being with divine qualities of some kind, the cult around Muhammad and
his grave would grow in importance among Muslims. Today all those who
have the means, try to visit Medina after performing the hajj or umra
in Mecca.
As is the case with Mecca, only Muslims are permitted to enter Madina.
Still, people arriving by the airport can get a good view of the city
from airplanes using the airport, as this is outside the sacred limits.
estimate), situated in Hijaz, in western Saudi Arabia, 160 km from the
Red Sea coast, at an elevation of 625 metres.
Madina is ranked as the 2nd most holy place in Islam, due to not being
the place for the highest cult, but for being the place where Islam
first established itself, and where Muhammad died and was buried.
Formerly it was referred to as either Madina al-Munawwara, 'The
Luminous City', or Madina Rasul Allah, 'City of God's Prophet'. Madina
is short for 'Madina an-Nabiy', 'Prophet's Town'.
While services and maintenance with the pilgrimages to Madina employ a
large number of the city's inhabitants, other activities are still of
much importance. Agriculture not longer relies on the traditional
wells, but uses pumps. The main produce are dates, other fruits,
vegetables and cereals. Dates of Madina are processed and packaged for
export. Industries of Madina are small-scale, involving automobile
repair, brick and tile making, carpentry and metal working.
Madina has excellent road connections with other urban centres of Saudi
Arabia. The airport has good national connections as well as links to
Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
Madina is a city of numerous religious buildings, many commemorating
central incidents in the earliest years of the Muslim history. The
central and most important of them all is the Prophet's Mosque, in
which Muhammad himself is buried. The Mosque of the Two Qiblahs is
interesting for commemorating the change of the prayer direction from
Jerusalem to Mecca. Also of interest is the Tomb of Hamza, Muhammad's
uncle who died at the Battle of Uhud.
Despite the objections of the early ulama to rever Muhammad as a human
being with divine qualities of some kind, the cult around Muhammad and
his grave would grow in importance among Muslims. Today all those who
have the means, try to visit Medina after performing the hajj or umra
in Mecca.
As is the case with Mecca, only Muslims are permitted to enter Madina.
Still, people arriving by the airport can get a good view of the city
from airplanes using the airport, as this is outside the sacred limits.
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