Medina

Edit links
Coordinates: 24°28′12″N 39°36′36″E / 24.47000°N 39.61000°E / 24.47000; 39.61000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Medina (disambiguation).

Madinah
المدينة‎
  • The Prophet's City (مدينة النبي)
  • The Prophetic City (المدينة النبوية)
  • The first Islamic capital (العاصمة الإسلامية الأولى)
  • The Purest of Pure (طيبة الطيبة)
City
Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah
المدينة المنورة
GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)
 • Year2023
 • Total (Metro)$46.7 billion[3]
 • Per capita$48,800
Time zoneUTC+03:00 (SAST)
Websitewww.amana-md.gov.sa
madinah.halayalla.com/sa-en
Map
Part of a series on
Islam
Beliefs
Practices
History
Culture and society
Related topics

Madinah,

Islamic history. One of the most sacred cities in Islam, the population as of 2022 is 1,411,599, making it the fourth-most populous city in the country. Around 58.5% of the population are Saudi citizens and 41.5% are foreigners.[4] Located at the core of the Medina Province in the western reaches of the country, the city is distributed over 589 km2 (227 sq mi), of which 293 km2 (113 sq mi) constitutes the city's urban area, while the rest is occupied by the Hejaz Mountains, empty valleys, agricultural spaces and older dormant volcanoes
.

Madinah is generally considered to be the "cradle of

Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (lit. 'The Prophet's Mosque') is of exceptional importance in Islam and serves as burial site of the prophet Muhammad, by whom the mosque was built in 622 CE (first year of the Hijrah). Observant Muslims usually visit his tomb, or rawdhah, at least once in their lifetime during a pilgrimage known as Ziyarat, although this is not obligatory.[6] The original name of the city before the advent of Islam was Yathrib (Arabic: يَثْرِب), and it is referred to by this name in Chapter 33 (Al-Aḥzāb, lit. 'The Confederates') of the Quran. It was renamed to Madīnat an-Nabī (lit. 'City of the Prophet' or 'The Prophet's City') after and later to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (lit. 'The Enlightened City') before being simplified and shortened to its modern name, Madinah (lit. 'The City'), from which the English-language spelling of "Medina" is derived. Saudi road signage uses Madinah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah interchangeably.[6]

The city existed for over 1,500 years before Muhammad's migration from Mecca,

al-Masjid an-Nabawi, Quba Mosque, and Masjid al-Qiblatayn, with the Quba Mosque being the oldest in Islam. A larger portion of the Qur'an was revealed in Medina in contrast to the earlier Meccan surahs.[8][9]

Much like most of the

First Saudi State (1805–1811), Muhammad Ali of Egypt (1811–1840), the Ottomans for a second time (1840–1918), the Sharifate of Mecca under the Hashemites (1918–1925) and finally is in the hands of the present-day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1925–present).[6]

In addition to visiting for Ziyarah, tourists come to visit the other prominent mosques and landmarks in the city that hold religious significance such as

Saudi government has also carried out the destruction of several historical structures and archaeological sites, both in Medina and Mecca.[10]

Between 1904 and 1908, the Ottoman Empire constructed the Hejaz Railway, connecting Damascus to Medina. This project aimed to facilitate the pilgrimage journey and strengthen Ottoman control over the region[11]

Names

Yathrib

Before the advent of Islam, the city was known as Yathrib (

33 of the Qur'an.[Quran 33:13] and is thus known to have been the name of the city up to the Battle of the Trench. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad later forbade calling the city by this name.[14]

Taybah and Tabah

8th century rock inscription discovered in Madinah, refers to the city as 'Taybah'

Sometime after the battle, Muhammad renamed the city Taybah (the Kind or the Good) (Arabic pronunciation:

Arabic: طَابَة)[16]
which is of similar meaning. This name is also used to refer to the city in the popular folk song, "Ya Taybah!" (O Taybah!). The two names are combined in another name the city is known by, Taybat at-Tabah (the Kindest of the Kind).

Madinah

The city has also simply been called Al-Madinah (i.e. 'The City') in some ahadith[16]. The names al-Madīnah an-Nabawiyyah (ٱلْمَدِيْنَة ٱلنَّبَوِيَّة) and Madīnat un-Nabī (both meaning "City of the Prophet" or "The Prophet's City") and al-Madīnat ul-Munawwarah ("The Enlightened City") are all derivatives of this word. This is also the most commonly accepted modern name of the city, used in official documents and road signage, along with Madinah.

History

Medina is home to several distinguished sites and landmarks, most of which are mosques and hold historic significance. These include the three aforementioned mosques, Masjid al-Fath (also known as Masjid al-Khandaq), the Seven Mosques, the

Mus'hafs
are printed.

Early history and Jewish control

Medina has been inhabited at least 1500 years before the Hijra, or approximately the 9th century BCE.[7] By the fourth century, Arab tribes began to encroach from Yemen, and there were three prominent Jewish tribes that inhabited the city around the time of Muhammad: the Banu Qaynuqa, the Banu Qurayza, and Banu Nadir.[17] Ibn Khordadbeh later reported that during the Persian Empire's domination in Hejaz, the Banu Qurayza served as tax collectors for the Persian Shah.[18][full citation needed]

The situation changed after the arrival of two new

Khazraj, also known as the Banu Khazraj. At first, these tribes were allied with the Jewish tribes who ruled the region, but they later revolted and became independent.[19]

prophet's Mosque
, the inscription below reads 'Madinah Shareef' (Noble City)

Under the 'Aws and Khazraj

Toward the end of the 5th century,[20] the Jewish rulers lost control of the city to the two Arab tribes.

Most modern historians accept the claim of the Muslim sources that after the revolt, the Jewish tribes became clients of the 'Aws and the Khazraj.

William Montgomery Watt, the clientship of the Jewish tribes is not borne out by the historical accounts of the period prior to 627, and he maintained that the Jewish populace retained a measure of political independence.[19]

Early Muslim chronicler

Himyarite Kingdom[22] and the residents of Yathrib. When the king was passing by the oasis, the residents killed his son, and the Yemenite ruler threatened to exterminate the people and cut down the palms. According to Ibn Ishaq, he was stopped from doing so by two rabbis from the Banu Qurayza tribe, who implored the king to spare the oasis because it was the place "to which a prophet of the Quraysh would migrate in time to come, and it would be his home and resting-place." The Yemenite king thus did not destroy the town and converted to Judaism. He took the rabbis with him, and in Mecca, they reportedly recognized the Ka'bah as a temple built by Abraham and advised the king "to do what the people of Mecca did: to circumambulate the temple, to venerate and honor it, to shave his head and to behave with all humility until he had left its precincts." On approaching Yemen, tells Ibn Ishaq, the rabbis demonstrated to the local people a miracle by coming out of a fire unscathed and the Yemenites accepted Judaism.[23]

Eventually the Banu 'Aws and the Banu Khazraj became hostile to each other and by the time of Muhammad's

Hijrah (emigration) to Medina in 622, they had been fighting for 120 years and were sworn enemies[24] The Banu Nadir and the Banu Qurayza were allied with the 'Aws, while the Banu Qaynuqa sided with the Khazraj.[25] They fought a total of four wars.[19]

Their last and bloodiest known battle was the

met secretly with Muhammad in 'Aqaba, a place outside Mecca
, inviting him and his small group of believers to come to the city, where Muhammad could serve a mediator between the factions and his community could practice its faith freely.

Under Muhammad and the Rashidun

Main articles: Hijrah, Constitution of Medina, and Medina State
Muhammad built the Quba'a Masjid upon his arrival at Medina and is said to have visited the mosque every Saturday afternoon.

In 622, Muhammad and an estimated 70 Meccan Muhajirun left Mecca over a period of a few months for sanctuary in Yathrib, an event that transformed the religious and political landscape of the city completely; the longstanding enmity between the Aus and Khazraj tribes was dampened as many of the two Arab tribes and some local Jews embraced the new religion of Islam. Muhammad, linked to the Khazraj through his great-grandmother, was agreed on as the leader of the city. The natives of Yathrib who had converted to Islam of any background—pagan Arab or Jewish—were called the Ansar ("the Patrons" or "the Helpers").

According to Ibn Ishaq, all parties in the area agreed to the Constitution of Medina, which committed all parties to mutual cooperation under the leadership of Muhammad. The nature of this document as recorded by Ibn Ishaq and transmitted by Ibn Hisham is the subject of dispute among modern Western historians, many of whom maintain that this "treaty" is possibly a collage of different agreements, oral rather than written, of different dates, and that it is not clear exactly when they were made. Other scholars, however, both Western and Muslim, argue that the text of the agreement—whether a single document originally or several—is possibly one of the oldest Islamic texts we possess.[26] In Yemenite Jewish sources, another treaty was drafted between Muhammad and his Jewish subjects, known as Kitāb Dimmat al-Nabi, written in the 3rd year of the Hijra (625), and which gave express liberty to Jews living in Arabia to observe the Sabbath and to grow-out their side-locks. In return, they were to pay the jizya annually for protection by their patrons, while the Muslims would pay the Zakat tax.[27][6]

Battle of Uhud

Main article: Battle of Uhud
Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib, in the foreground. The mosque was demolished in 2012 and a new, larger mosque with the same name was built in its place.[28]

In the year 625,

'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy withdrew, dealing a severe blow to the Muslim army's morale. Muhammad continued marching with his now 700-strong force and ordered a group of 50 archers to climb a small hill, now called Jabal ar-Rummaah (The Archers' Hill) to keep an eye on the Meccan's cavalry
and to provide protection to the rear of the Muslim's army. As the battle heated up, the Meccans were forced to retreat. The frontline was pushed further and further away from the archers and foreseeing the battle to be a victory for the Muslims, the archers decided to leave their posts to pursue the retreating Meccans. A small party, however, stayed behind; pleading the rest to not disobey Muhammad's orders.

Seeing that the archers were starting to descend from the hill, Khalid ibn al-Walid commanded his unit to ambush the hill and his cavalry unit pursued the descending archers were systematically slain by being caught in the plain ahead of the hill and the frontline, watched upon by their desperate comrades who stayed behind up in the hill who were shooting arrows to thwart the raiders, but with little to no effect. However, the Meccans did not capitalize on their advantage by invading Medina and returned to Mecca. The Madanis (people of Medina) suffered heavy losses, and Muhammad was injured.[29]

Battle of the Trench

Main article: Battle of the Trench
Three of the Seven Mosques at the site of the Battle of the Trench were combined into the modern Masjid al-Fath, here pictured with Jabal Sal'aa in the background and a shop selling local goods in the foreground.

In 627,

Sahabi
who was familiar with Sasanian war tactics recommended digging a trench to protect the city and Muhammad accepted it. The subsequent siege came to be known as the Battle of the Trench and the Battle of the Confederates. After a month-long siege and various skirmishes, the Meccans withdrew again due to the harsh winter.

During the siege, Abu Sufyan contacted the Jewish tribe of

Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, as judge. Sa'ad judged that all male members of the tribe should be killed and the women and children enslaved.[30][31] This action was conceived of as a defensive measure to ensure that the Muslim community could be confident of its continued survival in Medina. The French historian Robert Mantran proposes that from this point of view it was successful—from this point on, the Muslims were no longer primarily concerned with survival but with expansion and conquest.[32]

In the ten years following the

hijra, Medina formed the base from which Muhammad and the Muslim army attacked and were attacked, and it was from here that he marched on Mecca, entering it without battle in 630. Despite Muhammad's tribal connection to Mecca, the growing importance of Mecca in Islam, the significance of the Ka'bah as the center of the Islamic world, as the direction of prayer (Qibla), and in the Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj), Muhammad returned to Medina, which remained for some years the most important city of Islam and the base of operations of the early Rashidun Caliphate.[6]

The city is presumed to have been renamed Madinat al-Nabi ("City of the Prophet" in

Aramaic word Medinta, which the Jewish inhabitants could have used for the city.[33]

Under the first three caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, Medina was the capital of a rapidly increasing Muslim Empire. During the reign of 'Uthman ibn al-Affan, the third caliph, a party of Arabs from Egypt, disgruntled at some of his political decisions, attacked Medina in 656 and assassinated him in his own home. Ali, the fourth caliph, changed the capital of the caliphate from Medina to Kufa in Iraq for being in a more strategic location. Since then, Medina's importance dwindled, becoming more a place of religious importance than of political power. Medina witnessed little to no economic growth during and after Ali's reign.[6]

The Green Dome was built in 1297 over Muhammad's rawdhah (residence) and site of burial.

Under subsequent Islamic regimes

Umayyad Caliphate

After

Mu'awiyah I, son of Abu Sufyan, Mu'awiyah marched into Kufa, Ali's capital, and received the allegiance of the local 'Iraqis. This is considered to be the beginning of the Umayyad caliphate. Mu'awiyah's governors took special care of Medina and dug the 'Ayn az-Zarqa'a ("Blue Spring") spring along with a project that included the creation of underground ducts for the purposes of irrigation. Dams were built in some of the wadis
and the subsequent agricultural boom led to the strengthening of the economy.

Umar II
, also known as 'Umar ibn Abdulaziz or the Fifth of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.

Following a period of unrest during the

'Umar ibn Abdulaziz, who many consider to be the fifth of the Rashidun.[6]

Abbasid Caliphate

Abdulbasit A. Badr, in his book, Madinah, The Enlightened City: History and Landmarks, divides this period into three distinct phases:[6]

Tomb of Salahuddin al-Ayyubi, who started a tradition of greatly funding Medina and protecting pilgrims visiting the holy city.
The Medina sanctuary and Green Dome, photographed in 1880 by Muhammad Sadiq. The dome was built during the Mamluk period, but given its signature color by the Ottomans nearly 600 years later.

Badr describes the period between 749 and 974 as a push-and-pull between peace and political turmoil, while Medina continued to pay allegiance to the Abbasids. From 974 to 1151, the

Emir Nuruddin Zengi took care of the roads used by pilgrims and funded the fixing of the water sources and streets. When he visited Medina in 1162, he ordered the construction of a new wall that encompassed the new urban areas outside the old city wall. Zengi was succeeded by Saladin, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, who supported Qasim ibn Muhanna, the Sharif of Medina, and greatly funded the growth of the city while slashing taxes paid by the pilgrims.[6] He also funded the Bedouins who lived on the routes used by pilgrims to protect them on their journeys. The later Abbasids also continued to fund the expenses of the city. While Medina was formally allied with the Abbasids during this period, they maintained closer relations with the Zengids and Ayyubids. The historic city formed an oval, surrounded by a strong wall, 30 to 40 ft (9.1 to 12.2 m) high, dating from this period, and was flanked with towers. Of its four gates, the Bab al-Salam ("The Gate of Peace"), was remarked for its beauty. Beyond the walls of the city, the west and south were suburbs consisting of low houses, yards, gardens and plantations.[6]

Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo

After the fall of Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Empire, to the Mongols, the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo took over the Egyptian governorate and effectively gained control of Medina.

al-Mansur Qalawun as-Salihi in 1297.[6]

Ottoman rule

First Ottoman period

In 1517, the first

Prophet's Mosque's modern features were built even though it was not painted green yet.[36]
These suburbs also had walls and gates. The Ottoman sultans took a keen interest in the Prophet's Mosque and redesigned it over and over to suit their preferences.

First Saudi State
.

First Saudi insurgency

As the Ottomans' hold over their domains broke loose, the Madanis pledged alliance to

First Saudi state in 1805, who quickly took over the city. In 1811, Muhammad Ali of Egypt, Ottoman commander and Wali of Egypt, commanded two armies under each of his two sons to seize Medina, the first one, under the elder Towson Pasha, failed to take Medina. But the second one, a larger army under the command of Ibrahim Pasha, succeeded after battling a fierce resistance movement.[6]

Muhammad Ali's era

After defeating his Saudi foes, Muhammad Ali took over governance of Medina and although he did not formally declare

semi-autonomous style. Muhammad's sons, Towson and Ibrahim, alternated in the governance of the city. Ibrahim renovated the city's walls and the Prophet's Mosque. He established a grand provision distribution center (taqiyya) to distribute food and alms to the needy and Medina lived a period of security and peace.[citation needed] In 1840, Muhammad moved his troops out of the city and officially handed the city to the central Ottoman command.[6]

Second Ottoman period

The Hejaz railway track near Wadi Rum in Jordan. Jordan uses the railway today for transporting phosphate.

Four years in 1844, after Muhammad Ali's departure,

Abdulmejid I's orders. When Abdul Hamid II assumed power, he made Medina stand out of the desert with a number of modern marvels, including a radio communication station, a power plant for the Prophet's Mosque and its immediate vicinity, a telegraph line between Medina and Constantinople, and the Hejaz railway which ran from Damascus to Medina with a planned extension to Mecca. Within one decade, the population of the city multiplied by leaps and bounds and reached 80,000. Around this time, Medina started falling prey to a new threat, the Hashemite Sharifate of Mecca in the south. Medina witnessed the longest siege in its history during and after World War I.[6]

Modern history

Sharifate of Mecca and Saudi conquest

The Sharif of Mecca,

Sayyid Hussein bin Ali was proclaimed King of an independent Hejaz. Soon after, the people of Medina secretly entered an agreement with Ibn Saud in 1924, and his son, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz conquered Medina as part of the Saudi conquest of Hejaz on 5 December 1925 which gave way to the whole of the Hejaz being incorporated into the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.[6]

Under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The

Masjid Al-Ḥarām, is equipped with an underground parking. The old city's walls have been destroyed and replaced with the three ring roads
that encircle Medina today, named in order of length, King Faisal Road, King Abdullah Road and King Khalid Road. Medina's ring roads generally see less traffic overall compared to the four ring roads of Mecca.

An international airport, named the

Haramain high-speed railway line connects the two cities via King Abdullah Economic City near Rabigh, King Abdulaziz International Airport and the city of Jeddah
in under 3 hours.

Though the city's sacred core of the old city is off limits to non-Muslims, the Haram area of Medina itself is much smaller than that of Mecca and Medina has recently seen an increase in the number of Muslim and Non-Muslim expatriate workers of other nationalities, most commonly South Asian peoples and people from other countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Almost all of the historic city has been demolished in the Saudi era. The rebuilt city is centered on the vastly expanded al-Masjid an-Nabawi.

Destruction of heritage in Medina

Main article: Destruction of early Islamic heritage sites in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia upholds Wahhabism as its religious ideology,[10] which is hostile to any reverence given to historical or religious places of significance for fear that it may give rise to shirk (idolatry). As a consequence, under Saudi rule, Medina has suffered from considerable destruction of its physical heritage including the loss of many buildings over a thousand years old.[10][40] Critics have described this as "Saudi vandalism" and claim that 300 historic sites linked to Muhammad, his family or companions have been lost in Medina and Mecca over the last 50 years.[41] The most famous example of this is the demolition of al-Baqi.[10]

The train which Fakhri Pasha used to transport the Sacred Relics from Medina to Istanbul.

Geography

Mount Uhud at night. The mountain is currently the highest peak in Medina and stands at 1,077 m (3,533 ft) of elevation.

Medina is located in the

above sea level. It lies at 39º36' longitude east and 24º28' latitude north. It covers an area of about 589 km2 (227 sq mi
). The city has been divided into twelve districts, 7 of which have been categorized as urban districts, while the other 5 have been categorized as suburban.

Elevation

Like most cities in the Hejaz region, Medina is situated at a relatively high elevation. Almost two times as high as Mecca, the city is situated at 620 m (2,030 ft) above sea level. Mount Uhud is the highest peak in Medina and is 1,077 meters (3,533 feet) tall.

Topography

Medina is a

geological period of the Paleozoic Era. It is surrounded by a number of famous mountains, most notably Jabal Al-Hujjaj (The Pilgrims' Mountain) to the west, Sal'aa Mountain to the north-west, Jabal al-'Ir or Caravan Mountain to the south and Mount Uhud to the north. The city is situated on a flat mountain plateau at the tripoint of the three valleys (wadis) of Wadi al 'Aql, Wadi al 'Aqiq, and Wadi al Himdh, for this reason, there are large green areas amidst a dry deserted mountainous region.[6]

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Medina falls in a hot desert climate region (BWh). Summers are extremely hot and dry with daytime temperatures averaging about 43 °C (109 °F) with nights about 29 °C (84 °F). Temperatures above 45 °C (113 °F) are not unusual between June and September. Winters are milder, with temperatures from 8 °C (46 °F) at night to 25 °C (77 °F) in the day. There is very little rainfall, which falls almost entirely between November and May. In summer, the wind is north-western, while in the spring and winters, is south-western.

Climate data for Medina (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 33.2
(91.8) 		36.6
(97.9) 		40.0
(104.0) 		43.0
(109.4) 		46.0
(114.8) 		48.1
(118.6) 		49.0
(120.2) 		48.5
(119.3) 		46.4
(115.5) 		43.5
(110.3) 		37.1
(98.8) 		33.0
(91.4) 		49.0
(120.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 24.4
(75.9) 		27.0
(80.6) 		30.8
(87.4) 		35.5
(95.9) 		39.7
(103.5) 		43.0
(109.4) 		43.0
(109.4) 		43.8
(110.8) 		42.3
(108.1) 		37.3
(99.1) 		30.4
(86.7) 		26.0
(78.8) 		35.3
(95.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 18.3
(64.9) 		20.7
(69.3) 		24.4
(75.9) 		28.9
(84.0) 		33.3
(91.9) 		36.6
(97.9) 		36.8
(98.2) 		37.4
(99.3) 		35.9
(96.6) 		30.7
(87.3) 		24.3
(75.7) 		20.0
(68.0) 		28.9
(84.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 12.1
(53.8) 		14.1
(57.4) 		17.4
(63.3) 		21.7
(71.1) 		25.9
(78.6) 		29.0
(84.2) 		29.8
(85.6) 		30.5
(86.9) 		28.6
(83.5) 		23.5
(74.3) 		18.0
(64.4) 		14.0
(57.2) 		22.1
(71.7)
Record low °C (°F) 1.0
(33.8) 		1.4
(34.5) 		7.0
(44.6) 		11.5
(52.7) 		14.0
(57.2) 		21.7
(71.1) 		22.0
(71.6) 		23.0
(73.4) 		18.2
(64.8) 		11.6
(52.9) 		5.0
(41.0) 		3.0
(37.4) 		1.0
(33.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 8.6
(0.34) 		3.0
(0.12) 		5.3
(0.21) 		6.5
(0.26) 		4.5
(0.18) 		0.2
(0.01) 		1.3
(0.05) 		3.9
(0.15) 		0.3
(0.01) 		5.2
(0.20) 		13.9
(0.55) 		7.0
(0.28) 		59.7
(2.35)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 0.9 0.3 0.6 0.9 0.8 0.1 0.2 0.6 0.1 0.8 1.4 0.8 7.4
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		38 31 25 32 17 12 14 16 14 19 32 38 24
Mean monthly sunshine hours 251.1 243.0 288.3 282.0 297.6 318.0 319.3 294.5 279.0 291.4 255.0 251.1 3,370.3
Mean daily sunshine hours 8.1 8.6 9.3 9.4 9.6 10.6 10.3 9.5 9.3 9.4 8.5 8.1 9.2
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization,[42] Jeddah Regional Climate Center[43]
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (sunshine hours, 1999–2010)[44]

Significance in Islam

Main article:
Muhammad in Medina

Medina's importance as a religious site derives from the presence of two mosques,

Sahih Bukhari that Anas ibn Malik
quoted Muhammad as saying:

"Medina is a sanctuary from that place to that. Its trees should not be cut and no heresy should be innovated nor any sin should be committed in it, and whoever innovates in it an heresy or commits sins (bad deeds), then he will incur the curse of God, the angels, and all the people."

The Prophet's Mosque (al-Masjid an-Nabawi)

Main article:
The Prophet's Mosque

According to

his wives
. The mosque was expanded several times throughout history, with many of its internal features developed over time to suit contemporary standards.

The modern Prophet's Mosque is famed for the Green Dome situated directly above Muhammad's rawdhah, which currently serves as the burial site for Muhammad, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Umar ibn al-Khattab and is used in road signage along with its signature minaret as an icon for Medina itself. The entire piazza of the mosque is shaded from the sun by 250 membrane umbrellas.

Panoramic view of the Prophet's Mosque, from the east at sunset.

Quba'a Mosque

Main article: Quba'a Mosque
The Quba Mosque at night

It is

rak'ahs of Sunnah prayer. The mosque at Quba'a was built by Muhammad himself upon his arrival to the old city of Medina. Quba'a and the mosque has been referred in the Qur'an indirectly in Surah At-Tawbah
, verse 108.

Other sites

Masjid al-Qiblatayn

Main article: Masjid al-Qiblatayn

Masjid al-Qiblatayn is another mosque historically important to Muslims. Muslims believe that Muhammad was commanded to change his direction of prayer (

Al-Baqarah, verses 143 and 144.[46] The mosque is currently being expanded to be able to hold more than 4,000 worshippers.[47]

Masjid al-Fath and the Seven Mosques

Main article: The Seven Mosques

Three of these historic six mosques were combined recently into the larger Masjid al-Fath with an open courtyard.[6] Sunni sources contend that there is no hadith or any other evidence to prove that Muhammad may have said something about the virtue of these mosques.

Al-Baqi' Cemetery

Main article: Al-Baqi Cemetery
See also: Demolition of al-Baqi'

Al-Baqi' is a significant cemetery in Medina where several family members of Muhammad, caliphs and scholars are known to have been buried.[6]

In Islamic eschatology

Main article: Islamic eschatology

End of civilization

Concerning the end of civilization in Medina,

Abu Hurairah is recorded to have said that Muhammad said:[48]

"The people will leave Medina in spite of the best state it will have, and none except the wild birds and the beasts of prey will live in it, and the last persons who will die will be two shepherds from the tribe of Muzaina, who will be driving their sheep towards Medina, but will find nobody in it, and when they reach the valley of Thaniyat-al-Wada'h, they will fall down on their faces dead."[48] (al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 30, Hadith 98)

Sufyan ibn Abu Zuhair said Muhammad said:[48]

"Yemen will be conquered and some people will migrate (from Medina) and will urge their families, and those who will obey them to migrate (to Yemen) although Medina will be better for them; if they but knew. Sham will also be conquered and some people will migrate (from Medina) and will urge their families and those who will obey them, to migrate (to Sham) although Medina will be better for them; if they but knew. 'Iraq will be conquered and some people will migrate (from Medina) and will urge their families and those who will obey them to migrate (to 'Iraq) although Medina will be better for them; if they but knew."[48]

(al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 30, Hadith 99)

Protection from plague and ad-Dajjal (the False Messiah)

Main article: Al-Masih ad-Dajjal

With regards to Medina's protection from plague and ad-Dajjal, the following ahadith were recorded:

by

Abu Bakra:[48]

"The terror caused by Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal will not enter Medina and at that time Medina will have seven gates and there will be two angels at each gate guarding them."[48] (al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 30, Hadith 103)

by Abu Hurairah:

"There are angels guarding the entrances (or roads) of Medina, neither plague nor Ad-Dajjal will be able to enter it."[48]

(al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 30, Hadith 104)

Demographics

Medina Sex Pyramid Chart as of 2018[49]

As of 2018, the recorded population of Medina province was 2,188,138,

Prince Khalid bin Faisal stated that the numbers of illegal staying visitors dropped by 29% in 2018.[51]

Religion

As with most cities in Saudi Arabia, Islam is the religion followed by the majority of the population of Medina.

Hanbali) constitute the majority, while there is a significant Shia minority in and around Medina, such as the Nakhawila. Outside the haram
, there are significant numbers of Non-Muslim migrant workers and expats.

Culture

Similar to that of

cross-cultural environment, a city where people of many nationalities and cultures live together and interact with each other on a daily basis. This only helps the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran. Established in 1985, the biggest publisher of Quran in the world, it employs around 1100 people and publishes 361 different publications in many languages. It is reported that more than 400,000 people from around the world visit the complex every year.[52][53] Every visitor is gifted a free copy of the Qur'an at the end of a tour of the facility.[53]

Museums and arts

The Al Madinah Museum has several exhibits concerning the cultural and historical heritage of the city featuring different archeological collections, visual galleries and rare images of the old city.[54] It also includes the Hejaz Railway Museum. The Dar Al Madinah Museum opened in 2011 and it uncovers the history of Medina specializing in the architectural and urban heritage of the city.[55] There is no archeology or architecture from the time of Mohammed, except what remains of a few stone defensive towers[56] The Holy Qur'an Exhibition houses rare manuscripts of the Quran, along with other exhibitions that encircle the Masjid an-Nabawi.[57]

Madinah Arts Center

The Madinah Arts Center, founded in 2018 and operated by the MMDA's Cultural Wing, focuses on modern and contemporary arts. The center aims to enhance arts and enrich the artistic and cultural movement of society, empowering artists of all groups and ages. As of February 2020, before the implementation of social distancing measures and curfews, it held more than 13 group and solo art galleries, along with weekly workshops and discussions. The center is located in King Fahd Park, close to Quba Mosque on an area of 8,200 square meters (88,000 square feet)[58]

In 2018, the MMDA launched Madinah Forum of Arabic Calligraphy, an annual forum to celebrate Arabic calligraphy and renowned Arabic calligraphers. The event includes discussions about Arabic calligraphy, and a gallery to show the work of 50 Arabic calligraphers from 10 countries.[59] The Dar al-Qalam Center for Arabic Calligraphy is located to the northwest of the Masjid an-Nabawi, just across the Hejaz Railway Museum. In April 2020, it was announced that the center was renamed the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Center for Arabic Calligraphy, and upgraded to an international hub for Arabic Calligraphers, in conjunction with the "Year of Arabic Calligraphy" event organized by the Ministry of Culture during the years 2020 and 2021.[60]

Other projects launched by the MMDA Cultural Wing include the Madinah Forum of Live Sculpture held at Quba Square, with 16 sculptors from 11 countries. The forum aimed to celebrate sculpture as it is an ancient art, and to attract young artists to this form of art.[61]

Economy

Panel representing the Mosque of Medina. Found in İznik, Turkey, 18th century. Composite body, silicate coat, transparent glaze, underglaze painted.
Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport

Historically, Medina's economy was dependent on the sale of

dates and other agricultural activities. As of 1920, 139 varieties of dates were being grown in the area, along with other vegetables.[62] Religious tourism plays a major part in Medina's economy, being the second holiest city in Islam, and holding many historical Islamic locations, it attracts more than 7 million annual visitors who come to perform Hajj during the Hajj season, and Umrah throughout the year.[63]

Medina has two industrial areas, the larger one was established in 2003 with a total area of 10,000,000 m2, and managed by the

joint stock company founded in 2010. It focuses on real estate development and knowledge-based industries.[65] The project is under development and is expected to highly increase the number of jobs in Medina by its completion.[66]

Human resources

Education and scholarly activity

Primary and secondary education

The Ministry of Education is the governing body of education in the

al-Madinah Province and it operates 724 and 773 public schools for boys and girls respectively throughout the province.[67] Taibah High School is one of the most notable schools in Saudi Arabia. Established in 1942, it was the second-largest school in the country at that time. Saudi ministers and government officials have graduated from this high school.[68]

Higher education and research

Arabic language.[70] The university offers Bachelor of Arts degrees and also Master's and Doctorate degrees.[71] The admission is open to Muslims based on scholarships programs that provide accommodation and living expenses. In 2012, the university expanded its programs by establishing the College of Science, which offers Engineering and Computer science majors.[72] Al Madinah College of Technology, which is governed by TVTC, offers a variety of degree programs including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer sciences and electronic sciences.[circular reference] Private universities at Medina include University of Prince Muqrin, the Arab Open University
, and Al Rayyan Colleges.

Transport

Air

Main article: Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport
Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport

Medina is served by the

MENA region.[76] The airport receives higher numbers of passengers during the Hajj.

A government-run bus in Medina at Salam Rd. Station

Roads

In 2015, the MMDA announced Darb as-Sunnah (Sunnah Path) Project, which aims to develop and transform the 3 km (1.9 mi) Quba'a Road connecting the Quba'a Mosque to the al-Masjid an-Nabawi to an avenue, paving the whole road for pedestrians and providing service facilities to the visitors. The project also aims to revive the Sunnah where Muhammed used to walk from his house (al-Masjid an-Nabawi) to Quba'a every Saturday afternoon.[77]

The city of Medina lies at the junction of two of the most important Saudi highways, Highway 60 and Highway 15. Highway 15 connects Medina to

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi
and the downtown area, King Abdullah Road, a 27 km road that surrounds most of urban Medina and King Khalid Road is the biggest ring road that surrounds the whole city and some rural areas with 60 km of roads.

Bus and rapid transit

Haramain high-speed railway
station at Medina

The bus transport system in Medina was established in 2012 by the

metro project in extension to the public transportation master plan in Medina.[82]

Rail

Main article: Haramain High Speed Railway

The historic Ottoman

King Abdul Aziz International Airport, and King Abdullah Economic City.[83] It runs along 444 kilometers (276 miles) with a speed of 300 km/h, and has an annual capacity of 60 million passengers.[84]

Services at Medina station
  • Preceding station Saudi Arabia Railways Following station
    Terminus Haramain High Speed Railway King Abdullah Economic City
    towards Mecca

Notable people

See also

References

  1. Arabic: ٱلْمَدِيْنَة ٱلْمُنَوَّرَة, al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah, "the radiant city"; or ٱلْمَدِيْنَة, al-Madīnah, (Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [almaˈdiːna]
    ), "the city"
  1. ^ "Fahad Al-Belaihshi Appointed Mayor of Madinah by a Royal Decree (Arabic)". Sabq Online Newspaper. 7 May 2020. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Medina Governorate". City Population. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. ^ "TelluBase—Saudi Arabia Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)" (PDF). Tellusant. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
  4. ^ "Al-Madīnah (Al-Madīnah al-Munuwarah, Medina Region, Saudi Arabia) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information". City Population. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  5. ISBN 9781136994302
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 9786039041474.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  7. ^ a b "Masjid an-Nabawi at the time of Prophet Muhammad - Madain Project (En)". madainproject.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  8. OCLC 51217777
    .
  9. OCLC 319691554
    .
  10. ^
    early history of Islam, such as the homes and graves of companions of Muhammad, were demolished under Saudi rule. Preservationists have estimated that as many as 95 percent of the historic sites around Mecca
    and Medina have been razed.
  11. ^ "Medina | Meaning, Name, Islam, Map, Importance, & History | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2025-02-23. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  12. S2CID 162791503. Archived
    from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  13. ^ "A Pre-Islamic Nabataean Inscription Mentioning The Place Yathrib". Islamic Awareness. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  14. ^
    OCLC 957317429. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link
    )
  15. OCLC 1134530211. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  16. ^
    OCLC 981125883. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  17. ^
    Jewish Encyclopedia Medina Archived 18 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Peters 193
  19. ^ a b c d "Al-Medina." Encyclopaedia of Islam
  20. ^ for date see "J. Q. R." vii. 175, note
  21. ^ See e.g., Peters 193; "Qurayza", Encyclopaedia Judaica
  22. Tubba'
    ".
  23. ^ Guillaume 7–9, Peters 49–50
  24. ^ Subhani, The Message: The Events of the First Year of Migration Archived 24 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ For alliances, see Guillaume 253
  26. ^ Firestone 118. For opinions disputing the early date of the Constitution of Medina, see e.g., Peters 116; "Muhammad", "Encyclopaedia of Islam"; "Kurayza, Banu", "Encyclopaedia of Islam".
  27. ISBN 965-235-011-7
  28. ^ "Jameh Syed al-Shohada Mosque". Madain Project. Archived from the original on 6 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  29. ^ Esposito, John L. "Islam." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices, edited by Thomas Riggs, vol. 1: Religions and Denominations, Gale, 2006, pp. 349–379.
  30. ISBN 978-0-19-636033-1 {{citation}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help
    )
  31. ^ Watt, Muhammad, Prophet and Statesman, p. 172-173
  32. ^ Robert Mantran, L'expansion musulmane Presses Universitaires de France 1995, p. 86.
  33. ^ "The Jews of Arabia". dangoor.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2007.
  34. ^ "Harrat Rahat". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  35. ^ Bosworth,C. Edmund: Historic Cities of the Islamic World, p. 385 – "Half-a-century later, in 654/1256, Medina was threatened by a volcanic eruption. After a series of earthquakes, a stream of lava appeared, but fortunately flowed to the east of the town and then northwards."
  36. ISBN 9780810866065. Archived
    from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2020 – via Google Books.
  37. ISBN 0-691-03267-X
  38. ^ Mohmed Reda Bhacker (1992). Trade and Empire in Muscat and Zanzibar: Roots of British Domination. Routledge Chapman & Hall. P63: Following the plunder of Medina in 1810 'when the Prophet's tomb was opened and its jewels and relics sold and distributed among the Wahhabi soldiery'. P122: the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II was at last moved to act against such outrage.
  39. ^ Prothero, G.W. (1920). Arabia. London: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 103. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  40. ^ Howden, Daniel (6 August 2005). "The destruction of Mecca: Saudi hardliners are wiping out their own heritage". The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  41. ^ Islamic heritage lost as Makkah modernises Archived 22 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Center for Islamic Pluralism
  42. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  43. ^ "Climate Data for Saudi Arabia". Jeddah Regional Climate Center. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  44. ^ "Klimatafel von Medina (al-Madinah) / Saudi-Arabien" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  45. ^
    OCLC 1151770048. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  46. ^ "Place Pilgrims Visit During or After Performing Hajj / Umrah". Dawntravels.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  47. ^ "10 Places To Visit in Madinah". muslim.sg. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  48. ^
    OCLC 55626415. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  49. ^ a b "Population in Madinah Region According to Gender and Age groups". Saudi Census. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  50. ^ "Saudi Census Releases". Saudi Census. 17 December 2015. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  51. ^ "Al-Faisal : The Number of Illegal Staying Visitors have Dropped by 29%(Arabic)". Sabq Newspaper. 13 August 2019. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  52. ^ "Publications of King Fahd Complex (Arabic)". King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  53. ^ a b "About King Fahd Complex". King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  54. ^ "Al Madinah Museum". sauditourism.sa. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
  55. ^ Alhamdan, Shahd (2016-01-23). "Museum offers insight into history of Madinah". Saudigazette. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  56. Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an
  57. ^ "Holy Quran Exhibition | Medina, Saudi Arabia Attractions". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  58. ^ "MMDA Opens Medina Arts Center (Arabic)". Al-Yaum Newspaper. 17 July 2018. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  59. ^ "Madinah Forum of Arabic Calligraphy (Arabic)". Al-Madina Newspaper. May 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  60. ^ "Prince Mohammed bin Salman Center of Arabic Calligraphy (Arabic)". Saudi Press Agency. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  61. ^ "16 Sculptors Participate in Madinah Forum of Live Sculpture (Arabic)". Saudi Press Agency. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  62. ^ Prothero, G. W. (1920). Arabia. London: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 83. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  63. ^ "منصة البيانات المفتوحة". Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  64. ^ "المدينة الصناعية بالمدينة المنورة". Modon.gov.sa. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  65. ^ "Background". Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  66. ^ Economic cities a rise Archived 24 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  67. ^ "Number of Schools in Medina (Arabic)". Madinah General Administration of Education. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  68. ^ "History of Taibah High School (Arabic)". Al-Madina Newspaper. 4 June 2010. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  69. ^ "About Taibah University". Taibah University. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  70. ^ University of Madinah[usurped] Saudi Info.
  71. ^ "University of Madinah". Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  72. ^ "The Islamic University Starts the Admission for Science Programs for the First Time (Arabic)". Al-Riyadh Newspaper. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  73. ^ "TAV Traffic Results 2018" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  74. ^ "Arabian Aerospace – TAV have constructed the world's best airport". Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  75. ^ "ENR Announces Winners of 3rd Annual Global Best Projects Competition". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  76. ^ "PressReleaseDetail". Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  77. ^ "Darb Al-Sunnah Project (Arabic)". Al-Madinah Newspaper. 9 September 2015. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  78. ^ "Madina Buses Official (Arabic)". Madina Buses Official Website. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  79. ^ "Medina Buses Serves 20k Passengers Daily (Arabic)". Makkah Newspaper. 19 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  80. ^ "City Sightseeing Medina". City Sightseeing Medina Official Website. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  81. ^ "36 Months to Create 15 Bus Lines in Medina (Arabic)". Al-Watan Newspaper. 31 December 2019. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  82. ^ "MMDA Announces a 3-line Metro Project in Medina(Arabic)". Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  83. ^ "Pictures: Saudi Arabia opens high-speed railway to public". gulfnews.com. 12 October 2018. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
  84. ^ "About Haramain High Speed Rail". Official Haramain High Speed Rail Website. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Medina المدينة المنورة.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Medina.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medina&oldid=1285800420"
This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article: Medina. Articles is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; additional terms may apply.Privacy Policy