1- Shunning the Places that are Connected to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:

Amongst the examples of tormenting negligence that many did without thinking about it is shunning the places that are connected to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The witnesses of such negligence in our daily life are really ample. We see people go to perform Hajj every year or offer ‘Umar more than once a year and in spite of this fact, many years passed while one does not visit Al-Madeenah Al-Minawarah except rarely. Rather, some of them may blame the people of other countries or the immigrants who do not come to the sacred lands except once a lifetime and in spite of this when they come to Al-Madeenah, they offer prayer and make the best of their times in worship there. One can easily observe great keenness from those newcomers that can hardly be observed from the people of the Arab Peninsula. Even one feels very distressed because we already live in such places while only few people here care about visiting such honorable places that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to live in. They may visit them but leave it quickly because they fear to miss some interests that they believe so (while the greatest interest is in staying longer times there). They may visit them but have no care or attention about the Sunan and rituals of such sacred place. This is may be due to forgetfulness and engaging with some matters other than the Sunan and biography of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

In fact, one finds, and all perfect praise be to Allah, security, amiability, heart tranquility in Al-Madeenah Al-Minawarah, the thing that one cannot get in any other place except Makkah:

My love for her, give me more passion every night

Consoling days, your time is the hereafter

I left you till they said: he knows nothing of love

And I visited you till they said: he has no patience.

A shiver seizes me when I remember you

As the sparrow trembled, when the rain made him wet.

A shiver seizes me when I remember you

As the sparrow trembled, when the rain made him wet.

Love has no meaning except if my heart comes near to the firebrands, they will get burnt quickly.

 “One must respect the places which were the locus of revelation, those which Jibreel and Mika’eel, may Allah exalted their mention, visited, where the angels and the Jibreel descended, which heard the sounds of worship and glorification, whose soil contains the body of the Master of Mankind (i.e. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) and from which the Religion of Allah, The Almighty, and the honorable Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, spread out.

One must respect the places where the Ayats (i.e. verses) of the Noble Quran were studied, the mosques in which the prayer was done, places that witnessed virtues and good deeds; the places which saw proofs and miracles; the places associated with the rites of the Religion and the stations of the Hajj and the stopping places of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings be upon him; the places where the Seal of the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon him, lived.”

Due to all of this and more than this we have to care about them and be deeply rooted in the hearts and that visiting them encourages one to follow the Sunnah and venerates highly the Prophet of the Muslim community, peace and blessings be upon him.

•   Amongst the Sunan that is related to Madeenah is offering prayer in the Masjid of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, which is double-rewarded prayer. That is because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The prayer in my Masjid (Al-Madeenah mosque) is better than one thousand prayers in any other mosque with the exception of Al-Haraam mosque.”

•   Amongst the Sunnah related to such sacred places is offering prayer at Qibaa’ Masjid. Usayd ibn Thuhayr, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The prayer in Qubaa’ mosque is equal (in reward) to an ‘Umrah.” 

•   ‘Aa’ishah bint Sa‘d bint Abi Waqaas, may Allah be pleased with them, said: I heard may father saying; performing two Rak‘ahs in the Masjid of Qubaa’ is more beloved for me than visiting Bayt Al-Maqdis (i.e. Mosque of Jerusalem) two times. Had people known the great virtue of Qubaa’, they would have visited it even they are to travel for long distance to reach it.” Al-Haafith said in Al-Fat-h: “It has Saheeh (good) Isnaad (chain of transmission).”

This means that Sa‘d, may Allah be pleased with him, sought to encourage visiting it (i.e. the Masjid of Qibaa’) not setting out on a journey for it. That is because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do not set out on a journey except for three mosques: Al Masjid Al Haram, my Mosque (at Medinah) and the Mosque of Al-Aqsa (Mosque of Jerusalem).”

“Thus, it is recommended to travel to his mosque.”  

Amongst the other forgotten places in Madeenah that are connected to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is performing prayer in the sacred Rawdhah. It is a garden from the gardens of Paradise that one should be pleased with it and pay much attention to it. That is because it is one of the places where mercy is sent down and happiness is attained.” 

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has pointed this out saying: “Between my house and my pulpit, there is a garden from the gardens of Paradise, and my pulpit is on my fountain tank (i.e. Al-Kauthar).”

Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy upon him, said after stating the opinion regarding the meaning of Ar-Rawdhah: “This narration came to confirm the greater honor and excellence of such spot (over other parts of the mosque).”

However, the real deprived person is the one who is deprived of goodness and turned away from its way.

O those who travel to the great House, you have gone with your bodies and we have gone with our souls

We have not come because of our excuse and preordainment and whomever excuse prevented him has actually gone.

•   Amongst the other matters attached to visiting Al-Madeenah Al-Minawarah is visiting the grave of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, greeting him and his two noble companions i.e. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them. Should the newcomers greet the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, whenever he enters his blessed Masjid ?

Muslim scholars held different opinion regarding this issue . However, all Muslims have agreed on the honor of the visit, greeting the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and offering prayer in his Masjid. It is also recommended for one to visit the graves of the companions in Al-Baqee‘, graves of the martyrs, and the grave of Hamzah, may Allah be pleased with them. That is because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to visit and supplicate Allah, The Almighty, for them and due to the general indication of the Hadeeths reported regarding visiting graves.  One should also supplicate Allah, The Almighty, for them, remember their virtues, noble deeds, and strive in the cause of Allah, The Almighty. One should soften his heart and remember the Hereafter for Allah, The Almighty, may use him in supporting His Religion as he used them in supporting His Religion, and gather him with them and the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And how excellent of a companion are them! And Allah is the One Whose help we seek.

The places connected to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, are not in Madeenah only; rather, in any other place such as Makkah and offering prayer inside Al-Hijr because it is a part from Al-Ka‘bah, or behind Al-Maqaam.

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