Umrah Part 2 (Medina the city of light)
Friday, January 24, 2014Medina is the second holiest site in Islam. Sometimes it is known as the "City of the Prophet".It was to Medina that Prophet Muhammad fled when he was initially driven out of Mecca, and the place where he attracted his first followers. Medina currently has a population of about 600,000 people and is the home of "The Prophet's Masjid."
Medina is the second holy city of Islam, after Makkah. It's importance as a religious site derives from the presence there of the Masjid al Nabawi, the Masjid of the Prophet, which was built on the site of Muhammad's home and is where he is buried. The first Masjid of Islam is also located in Medinah and is known as Masjid al-Quba, the Quba Mosque.
Outside Masjid Nabawi..I'm still impressed with the "tents"/ "umbrella" surrounded the Masjid.
My first Jama'ah prayer at Masjid Nabawi is during Subuh. Such an unforgettable moment. I definitely enjoyed every moment when the Imam recited the surah..it is so beautiful (no words can explain how beautiful it is). When I went here in 2004, I did not enjoy it as much as I enjoyed being here in 2013. Maturity definitely changed my perception on things happening around me and I feel so blessed and content that I'll be able to perform my solat here.
Typical streets in Madinah. The Masjid is being surrounded with hotels everywhere.
Inside this beautiful Masjid
After Subuh, I started reciting the Quran as I have targeted to read as much as I can by the end of my umrah journey. Our morning was filled with Raudah visit and we spent our 3 days in Medinah for shopping for jubah, tasbih and perfume and also visiting the Date farm, Uhud war site and Quba' Masjid (the first Masjid being built). We went to visit those places via buses and we had this one mutawif/ tour guide who's from Indonesia..this ustaz is very nice and humble and I don't remember his name but Annur and I called him Ustaz B.
Masjid Quba'
Abah and Annur at Bukit Uhud
At the date farm
At Bukit Uhud, the visit has made me realise how challenging it was for our Prophet pbuh and his sahabat in spreading Islam in Medina and Mecca. The heat, the absence of trees and plants, the hilly and dusty surroundings could just kill you instantly. And I respect the sacrifice made by our Prophet as I don't think that I could go through such a difficult journey. We visited the graveyard of the sahabat. This was where Sayidina Hamzah was beheaded and I could not imagine how cruel were the Jahiliyahs.
We also went to an exhibition done by Medina university students which presented on the names of Allah and wow I am so amazed with the exhibitions. The university students entertained us and shared their knowledge with us and it's amazing that I've learnt the same thing in UIA.
Oh and I personally love the people in Medina, they are just so friendly and most of the traders know Siti Nurhaliza well. It is always "Malaysia? Siti Nurhaliza cantik". A woman came to me and said " Ahlan Wasahlan...welcome to Madinah"
And there was this old man who told me that " Anti fil Malizia? Ahsan...Malaysia boleh! Najib bagus..tetapi Mahathir lagi bagus"/ (You're from Malaysia? Good...Najib is good but Mahathir is even better)
HAHAHAHAHA
tbc.
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