Companions Promised Paradise (Ashara Mubashara)

Ashratul Mubashara : Ten who were promised Jannah during their

lifetime :
1. Abu Bakar As Siddiq
2. Umar Al Khattab
3. Uthman bin Affan
4. Ali bin Abi Talib
5. Talhah bin Ubaidillah
6. Zubair bin Al Awwam
7. Abdul Rahman bin Auf
8. Saad bin Abi Waqas
9. Abu Ubaidah bin Al Jarrah
10. Said bin Zaid

One of the goals believers want to reach is entering paradise, because the Quran commands
people to race to enter paradise. "Be quick in the race for forgiveness your Lord, and for a
Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the
righteous" (Al-i Imran 3/133).
Who has gained Paradise will be apparent in the afterlife, but Allah promised it to the
Companions while they were still in this world.
"Not equal among you are those who spent (freely) and fought before the Victory, (with those
who did so later). Those are higher in rank than those who spent (freely) and fought
afterwards. But to all has God promised a goodly (reward). And God is well acquainted with
all that ye do" (Al-Hadid, 57/10).
As is clearly seen in this verse, Allah promises Heaven to all the Companions. Just as the
Companions, who had many admirable traits, were given the good news of Paradise in
general, there are also those who were promised Heaven individually while here on earth.
The term Ashara Mubashara (the ten who were promised Paradise) designates those who
were given these glad tidings by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) while they were living in
this world. In addition to the term "Ashara Mubashara," the phrase with the same meaning "al-Mubashara bil-Jannah" - was also used.
They are: Abu Bakr (634), Umar (643), Uthman (655), Ali (660), Talha (656), Zubayr (656),
Abdurrahman ibn Awf (652), Sa'd (674), Said ibn Zayd (671), Abu Ubayy (639). The names
of these Companions were mentioned in hadith and were, thus, fixed. Generally, when the

Companions of the Prophet, particularly the Noble Companions, are evaluated, it will be seen
that this situation is very natural in respect to general Islamic principles.
Some common traits of the Ashara Mubashara:

All became Muslim in the early years of Islam.

They made great service to the Prophet and the Islamic cause.
They migrated.
They participated in the battle of Badr.
They swore allegiance to the Prophet at Hudaybiya.
There are many narrations in hadith sources regarding their virtues.
Sources of sound hadiths with narrations on these Companions.
ABU BAKR AS-SIDDIQ

He is the first free man to his faith after Muhammad (pbuh) began preaching the message of
Islam; he is the first of the rightly-guided caliphs and the first of the Ashara Mubashara. His
original name was Abdul-Kaaba. After the advent of Islam, the Prophet gave him the name of
Abdullah. His patronymic is Abu Bakr. He is known with the sobriquets of Jamiul Quran, asSiddiq, and al-Atiq. The most famous of these is as-Siddiq.
His birth
Abu Bakr was born two years and several months after the Event of the Elephant in Mecca in
571. He was known for his admirable traits and chastity. It is related that Abu Bakr was one
or three years younger than the Prophet.
His features
He was light-skinned with a lean body, a thin face, a sparse beard, deep-set eyes and a
prominent forehead.
His family
From the Banu Taym tribe which held an important position in Mecca, was involved in trade,
had social connections and broad culture, Abu Bakr's genealogy meets with Muhammad
(pbuh) in Murra b. Kab. His mother's name is Ummul-Hayr Selma and his father's name is
Abu Quhafah. From the Meccan notables, his father saw Abu Bakr's caliphate and death.
He had several marriages. During the Age of Ignorance he first married a woman named
Qutayla bint Abduluzza, and they had a son named Abdullah and a daughter named Asma.
Aisha and Abdurrahman were born his wife Umm Ruman; Umm Kulthum was born Habiba,
the daughter of Harija ibn Zayd who he married in Medina; and a son named Muhammad was
born his wife, Asma.
His pre-Islamic life

Abu Bakr was a person well-liked and known for his admirable virtues during the Age of
Ignorance. He had the duty of overseeing the payment of blood money (asnaq) and
compensation in Mecca. As a prominent Meccan, he was famous for his knowledge of
genealogy and narration. He was involved in the textile and clothing trades; his capital was
forty thousand dirham, and he spent most of it for Islam.
Entrance to Islam
Abu Bakr was the first to his faith to the Prophet after Khadija. He worked to gain converts to
Islam powerful tribes during the Meccan period. On the other hand, he protected the helpless
and slaves who were subject to torture by the idolaters, and he used his wealth to buy and free
persecuted slaves.
According to Aisha's narration, Abu Bakr, who had remained at the Prophet's side for thirteen
years in Mecca, began to cry joy when he received the command the Prophet to emigrate and
learned that they would migrate together.
He was present at the battles of Badr, Uhud and the Ditch. He participated in military
expeditions to Muraysi, Qurayza, Haybar, Mecca, Hunayn, and Taif.
His caliphate
Becoming ill in the eleventh year of the Hijra, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) died on
Monday, the 13th of Rabi'al-awwal (June 8, 632). Abu Bakr was elected at the wish of the
Companions, particularly Umar. In his speech in the masjid after he was elected to be "Caliph
of the Prophet," Abu Bakr said, "I am not the best among you, but I have become your leader.
If I do my duty fairly, help me; if I am mistaken, correct me. As long as I obey Allah and his
Messenger, obey me; if I rebel, your obedience is not required."
He opened war on false prophets and those who said, "We pray, but we won't give the poor
tax." He suppressed rebellions in Bahrain, Umman, Yemen, and Muhra. He added Hira,
Ajnadin and Anbar to the Islamic world by means of war during his reign, Iraq was
conquered and important cities in Syria were taken. Abu Bakr died while the Yarmuk War
continued.
Abu Bakr enabled all the verses of the Quran to be gathered together by a delegation under
the chairmanship of Zayd b. Sabit.
When Abu Bakr became ill with a disease he got in Medina after the migration in the month
of Jumada al-thani, 13 H., he wanted Umar to lead the prayer. Consulting the Companions, he
said he thought Umar was suitable for the caliphate. He died at sixty-three like the Prophet
whom he loved so much. According to his will, he was buried next to the Prophet at shoulder
level.

UMAR IBN KHATTAB

The Second Righteous Caliph, he was one of the Companions closest to the Prophet in his
struggle for Unity in an attempt to spread Islam and make it reign in this world. Umar's
sobriquet was "Faruq," which means the one who discriminates between right and wrong.
His birth
Umar was born in Mecca thirteen years after the Event of the Elephant. According to
narration related by himself, he was born four years after the Great Fijar war.
His family
His father was Khattab b. Nufayl and his genealogy meets with the Prophet in Kab. A
member of the Adiw branch of the Quraish tribe, his mother was Hanteme the sister or cousin
of Abu Jahl.
His features
Umar was tall with a big frame, light-skinned, a broad forehead, a long mustache and freefalling hair. Being a shepherd to camels in his childhood, Umar was busy with such
honorable works among Arabs as learning genealogy and how to use weapons. At the same
time Umar was a very good speaker.
His pre-Islamic life
Sources do not give much information regarding Umar's life before he became Muslim.
However, it is known that in his childhood he shepherded his father's animals and that later
he became involved in trade. Umar accompanied trade caravans going towards Syria. Among
the notables of Mecca during the Age of Ignorance, he handled the duty of envoy for the city
of Mecca's government. When a war broke out, Umar would be sent as envoy to the other
side and, upon his return, action would be taken according to the information and opinion he
gave. In addition, he played an effective role in the resolution of conflict among tribes and the
decisions he made were binding.
Entrance to Islam
Deciding to kill the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Umar girthed his sword and set out to kill
him. However, when he learned that his sister and her husband had entered the new religion,
he went to them first and, affected by the Quranic verses they read, he accepted Islam in the
6th year of the Prophet's apostleship.
After he became Muslim, Umar was constantly at the side of the Prophet, and he did
everything possible to protect him.
Migration

When Muslims were ordered to migrate to Medina, they secretly began to immigrate to
Medina Mecca. Umar felt no need to be secretive and he set off for Medina with twenty
companions.
Service to Islam
Umar participated in the battles of Badr, Uhud, the Ditch and Haybar and in many small
detached military expeditions. He acted as commander in some of these.
Umar played a big role in eliminating the chaos that appeared immediately after the death of
the Prophet in the election of Abu Bakr as caliph. He was the biggest assistant to Abu Bakr
during his short term as caliph.
Caliphate
When Abu Bakr understood that he was going to die, he thought about appointing Umar as
caliph to himself and, revealing this idea, he consulted some of the Companions. When
everyone approved of Umar's being caliph, he became the second Islamic caliph.
While making an effort to complete the conquest of Syria, on the one hand, Umar sent armies
to the Iranian front to get solid results, on the other hand. The Iranian army had been defeated
in the Qadisiya War. Iran bowed to the sovereignty of Islam by means of war in some regions
and by means of peace in other regions. Azerbaijan and Armenia all the way to Khorasan
were among the conquered Persian lands. Egypt and Jerusalem were also taken during this
period.
Umar was also trying to set up state organizations. He established the Council. He made
income non-Muslim revenues to be formed into categories. In order to put legal matters in
order, he was the first person to appoint judges working independently the governors. In 17
H. he printed money and put it in circulation. He established military headquarter towns in
order for armies to be located close to enemy regions.
He was stabbed by a non-Muslim slave and he died three days after this event.

UTHMAN IBN AFFAN

A monument of modesty, he is the third Rightly-Guided Caliph. His patronymic is Uthman

ibn Affan ibn Abil-As ibn Umayya ibn Abdis-shams ibn Abdi Manaf al-Quresi al-Amawi
Abu Amr. After he became Muslim, married Ruqayya, the Prophet's daughter, and had a son
her named Abdullah, he became known as "Abu Abdullah." His patronymic is "Abu
Abdullah." He was also called "Abu Amr" and "Abu Laila." His sobriquet is "Zinnurayn."

His birth
Uthman (ra) was born 6 years after the Event of the Elephant and 47 years before the
Migration. According to this, Uthman was 34 years-old when Muhammad (pbuh) was made
eminent with apostleship.
His family
A member of Banu Omayya, his genealogy connects with the Prophet in his fifth grandfather
Abdi Menaf. His mother is Arwa binti Qurayz b. Rabia b. Habib b. Abdi Shams. His
grandmother is the Prophet's aunt Beyda, the daughter of Abdulmuttalib.
He was married with two of the Prophet's daughters. After Ruqayya died in the year 2 H., he
married Umm Kulthum. His son Ruqayya, Abdullah, died in 4 H. at the age of six. Later he
married women with the names: Fahita b. Gazwan, Umm Amr binti Jundub, Umm Benin
binti Uyayna and Naila. From Umm Amr binti Jundub he had children named Amr, Halid,
Aban, Umar, and Mariam; with Umm Benin binti Uyayna he had a child named Abdulmelik.
The most well-known among these is his son, Aban.
His features
Uthman was handsome, very polite, of average height, with a thick beard and thick hair
between his shoulders.
His pre-Islamic life
There is scarce information in sources regarding Uthman's life before he became Muslim. He
was busy with trade in his youth. Due to his honesty in trade transactions, he was famous for
this among the people.
Entrance to Islam
Uthman ibn Affan became Muslim at the invitation of Abu Bakr's.
Migration
He participated in the two migrations to Abyssinia. When the order was given for migration
to Medina, Uthman went together with the other Muslims.
Service to Islam

He bought the Ruma well which was owned by a Jew for twenty thousand dirham and
allowed for the free use of it by Muslims.
Due to his wife Ruqayya's serious illness, Uthman did not join the Badr battle with the
Prophet's permission. Except for Badr, he fought in all the battles made with the idolaters and
the enemies of Islam.

His caliphate
When Umar was wounded, the people he chose elected Uthman as caliph after a public
survey.
When Uthman took over the state administration, Islamic conquests were continuing at a fast
pace. During this period Muslim armies conquered Juzejan, Taliqan, Faryab and Balh, almost
all of the cities in the Toharistan region, the islands of Cyprus and Rhodes, and the Ifriqiyya
region. Also in the interior of Anatolia the region was conquered as far as Tiflis.
He died during rebellions that occurred as a result of dissent.

ALI IBN ABU TALIB

Ali was the son of the Prophet's uncle, his son-in-law and the fourth caliph. His father was
Abu Talib, his mother was Fatima binti Asad the Quraish, and his grandfather was
Abdulmuttalib. His patronymic was Abul Hasan and Abu Turab (father of earth), and his
nickname was Haydar. His title was Commander of the Faithful. He is also referred to as
"Allah's Lion."
Birth
Ali was born twenty years before the Migration. He was the youngest son of Abu Talib, the
Prophet's uncle. His patronymic was Abu Hasan or Abu Turab.
His family
Ali was the son of the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib.
Ali's mother became Muslim after the death of her husband and migrated to Medina. When
she died, the Prophet sent his blessed clothing and commanded that it be used as her winding
sheet.
Ali had 14 sons and 9 daughters. Among these Hasan, Husain, Zainab and Umm Kulthum
were the Prophet's daughter, Fatima. While Fatima was alive, Ali did not take a second wife.
His other marriages occurred after her death.
His features
Ali was of short-medium height, with dark skin, large black eyes and a thick and broad beard.
According to Sawade ibn Hazala's description, he once used henna on his beard, but later left
it in its natural state.

Entrance to Islam
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) invited members of the Banu Hashim to his house in order to
explain Islam to them. After dinner he said, "Hey, sons of Abdulmuttalib. I have been sent to
mankind and you in particular. Who among you will pledge allegiance to me as a brother and
friend?" Only Ali stood up and gave his allegiance as the Prophet asked.
Migration
Before the Prophet migrated, he left some items that he had taken in trust with Ali to return to
their owners. Then that night Ali slept in the Prophet's bed and surprised the unbelievers.
After that he migrated to Medina, too.
Service to Islam
After the Migration he was always at the side of the Prophet and participated in all the battles.
He was among those who kept vigil in his room while the Prophet was dying. When Abu
Bakr was elected caliph, Ali was in the Prophet's room swathing his corpse.
During Umar's reign, Ali handled all the legal matters, serving like the chief justice of the
Islamic state. Although he was not very happy with the administrative approach during
Uthman's caliphate, he informed Uthman of the complaints coming various regions of the
Islamic state and he made recommendations for their resolution. He did what he could to
keep at bay those besieging Uthman.
His caliphate
After Uthman's martyrdom, prominent individuals pledged their allegiance to Ali. When he
became caliph he was confronted with many problems that needed to be solved. This
confusion gave birth to internal conflict like Jemel and Siffin. Great sacrifice and effort were
shown to resolve the disputes within the Islamic state.
Eventually, in Kufa in the year 40 H. /661 A.D. Ali was wounded by Abdurrahman ibn
Muljam, a Hariji, as he was going to the morning prayer. He became a martyr as a result of
this wound.
Because he was constantly at the side of the Prophet, he was advanced in Tafsir, Hadith and
Fikih. In fact, in the Prophet's words he was the "gate to the city of knowledge," the most
knowledgeable of the community.

ABDURRAHMAN IBN AWF

He is one of the ten Companions to be given the good tidings of Paradise while the Prophet
was alive and one of the first Muslims. His original name was Abdulkaaba or, according to
another view, Abdu Amr. He was known by the patronymic of Abu Muhammad.
Abdurrahman was born approximately twenty years after the Event of the Elephant.
His mother was Sifa binti Awf b. Adil-Haris b. Zuhra b. Qilab. He was the son of Haris the
Banu Zuhra of the Quraish tribe.
Abdurrahman, who entered Islam during the days of activity in Arkam's house, was given
this name by the Prophet.
He joined both migrations to Abyssinia. Eventually, when Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged the
Companions to migrate to Medina, he did so with the others.
Abdurrahman b. Awf began trading in the Medina market and Allah gave him great wealth.
Known as one of the most generous Companions, Abdurrahman b. Awf made great
contributions in Allah's path to many military expeditions, particular the Tabuk expedition.
When he became very old during Uthman's time, Abdurrahman lived a very quiet life and
finally died in Medina in the year 32 H.
Abdurrahman b. Awf heard many hadiths the Prophet, but he refrained relating them all
because of his scrupulousness. He has up to sixty-five hadiths narrated in hadith collections.

ABU UBAIDAH IBN JARRH

Mentioned with the sobriquet "Custodian of the Ummah," he is one of the first Muslims and
one of the Ashara Mubashara. His original name was Amir ibn Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah. He is
the Banu Fihr of the Quraish tribe. His genealogy connects with the Prophet's genealogy in
their forefather Fihr.
He was famous with the sobriquet of "Custodian of the Ummah."
Abu Ubaidah became Muslim by means of Abu Bakr's invitation or by going to the Prophet
with his friends under the leadership of Uthman ibn Maz. He was among the second convoy
of immigrants to Abyssinia. Like the other great Companions, Abu Ubaidah participated in
all the military expeditions. He was always at the Prophet's side in the conquest of Mecca, the
siege of Taif, and the Farewell Pilgrimage. During the jihad activities in Umar's time Abu

Ubaidah ibn Jarrah participated in the conquests in the Syria region which began during Abu
Bakr's caliphate, and he served as a commander.
He became ill during the plague in Syria, Egypt and Iraq historically called the Amwas
Tauna, and he died.

SA'D IBN ABI WAQQAS

Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas Malik ibn Wuhayb ibn Abdi Menaf ibn Zuhra. His father was Malik ibn
Wuhayb. His patronymic being Abi Waqqas, Sa'd was called Ibn Abi Waqqas due to it.
Because the Prophet's mother was the Banu Zuhra, his genealogy meets the Prophet's on his
mother's side. Sa'd's mother was Hamene binti Sufyan ibn Umayya.
Sa'd was one of the first to accept the Islamic faith. He remained in Mecca until the migration
to Medina.
He participated in the battles of Badr, Uhud, the Ditch, Hudaybiya, Haybar, the conquest of
Mecca and all other military expeditions. He performed great service, both military and
political, during the caliphate periods.
Sa'd (ra) died in the Aqiq valley outside of Medina where he was residing in the year of 55 H.

SA'ID IBN ZAYD

His father was Zayd ibn Amr and his genealogy meets with the Prophet's in Ka'b. His
patronymic was Abul-A'var. He was also called Abu Tur.
His mother was Fatima binti Ba'ja. His father Zayd belonged to the Haneef religion of
Abraham.
Said was raised according to the Haneef religion which his father Zayd taught him. He was
quick to follow the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
He was married to Umar's sister Fatima.

With the exception of Badr, Said ibn Zayd participated in the battle at Uhud, the Ditch and all
other battles.
Said spent the last days of his life on his farm in the Aqiq valley outside of Medina and,
surpassing the age of seventy, he died in 50 or 51 H.

TALHA IBN UBAYDULLAH

Talha ibn Ubaydullah ibn Uthman ibn Amr ibn Sa'd ibn Taym ibn Murra ibn Qatb ibn Lueyy
ibn Galib al Qurasi at-Taymi. His patronymic was Abu Muhammad.
Talha was one of the first eight people to accept Islam and one of five people who became
Muslim through Abu Bakr.
Talha was of medium height, broad-chested, broad-shouldered and had large feet. He was
dark complexioned with thick hair, but his hair was neither short and curly nor long and
straight. He had a smiling face with a thin nose. He did not dye his hair. He walked quickly
and would turn with his whole body towards the place he was headed.
Although he did not fight at Badr, he joined many other battles. He heroically defended the
Prophet at Uhud.
He was killed at the Battle of the Camel by Marwan ibn Hakam. It is estimated that he was
between 60-64 years of age at the time of his death.
Talha was the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) brother-in-law. Four of his wives were the sisters
of the Prophet's wives.

ZUBAYR IBN AWWAM

Zubayr ibn al-Awwam ibn Khuwaylid ibn Asad ibn Abdil-Uzza ibn Qusayy ibn Qilab ibn
Murra ibn Ka'b ibn Lueyy al-Qurasi al Asadi. He was called "Abu Abdullah" because of his
oldest son Abdullah. He was the Prophet's friend and disciple and, at the same time, the son
of his aunt Safiyyah binti Abdulmuttalib.

After Umar's death he was one of the 6-member council established to make the election of
the caliph. His mother called him "Abu-t-Tahir." However, Zubayr was known by the
patronymic of his son Abdullah.
He was either the fourth or fifth Muslim. However, neither his date of birth nor the age at
which he became Muslim is known for sure. He migrated to Abyssinia.
Just as he fought in all the battles, he played an important role in the conquest of Egypt.
He fought in the battle of Siffin; however, he later left the war. On the road to Medina when
he came to water belonging to the Tamim tribe, Amr ibn Jarmouz began to follow him. He
killed Zubayr at a place called the Siba Valley.

Ashab us-Suffah platform

This diagram marks the location, towards the front of the present Masjid-e-Nabwi, of
the platform that housed the Ashab us-Suffah (The People of the Bench). The platform
was originally on the north wall of the masjid and was moved back when the masjid was
extended in 7 AH.
The Ashab us-Suffah were companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be on him) who, along with the performance of religious duties, were mostly
tradesmen or farmers. Some had, however, dedicated their lives exclusively for prayer
and spiritual discipline in the close company of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him).
They neither had wives nor children, and if any were to get married, he would leave
the group. Many of them would go to the jungle in the day to collect wood, which
would then be sold for money to feed themselves and the other members of the
suffah.

There currently exists a raised platform behind the platform where the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) performed Tahajjud, it is on the right of those
entering from Bab-e-Jibraeel. This platform is commonly mistaken to be the platform
of the Ashab us-Suffah, it was actually built by the Turks for the service and custodial
personnel of the masjid. This section sits outside the masjid in the time of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) so could not have been the suffah.
The precise number of the Ashab us-Suffah is not known, but it is estimated that the
suffah could hold up to three hundred people at any one time, and that roughly
seventy people made up its permanent residents. The initial inhabitants of the suffah
were members who had migrated from Makkah and were without any
accommodation.
Some of the companions who at one time were members of the Ashab us-Suffah were:
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him)
Abu Dhar al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him)
Kaab ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)
Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him)
Hanzalah bin Abi Amr (may Allah be pleased with him)
Huzaifah bin Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him)
Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him)
Suhaib bin Sanan Roomi (may Allah be pleased with him)
Bilal bin Ribah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Ashab us-Suffah passed their lives in the service of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him). In the morning they would listen to his words of
wisdom and at night, after sleeping for a while, they would spend the rest of the time
in prayer. Because of their devotion and prayer, many of the Ashab us-Suffah were
very poor and unable to afford clothing. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with
him) said, I saw seventy of Ashab-us-Suffah in such a condition that none of them
had complete dress for himself. Each one of them had one sheet that he tied up with
his neck. Some of them had their sheets reach near their ankles but others sheets
reached just below their knees. Each of them used to hold the partition of his sheet
with
his
hand
lest
his
body
is
exposed.

Most of the companions went for two days in succession without food, so much that
when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) came into the masjid to
lead the congregational prayers, they would fall down due to weakness. Food given in
charity to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was given to them,
and when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was offered food as a
present, he would invite them to share it.

Often, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) would ask one of his
other companions to take some of the Ashab us-Suffah for supper, and to entertain

them as best they could. Sad ibn Ubada (may Allah be pleased with him) sometimes
entertained as many as eighty men at once.

Uqbah ibn-e- Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) has said: Rasulullah (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him) came to us while we were sitting on the Suffah and
asked if any one of us would like to go to the market of Buthan or Aqiq and fetch
from there two she-camels of the finest breed without committing any sin or severing
a tie of kinship. We replied that everyone of us would love to do so. Rasulullah (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) then said that going to the masjid (mosque) and
reciting or teaching two ayaat are more precious than two she-camels, three ayaat
are more precious than three she-camels, and that similarly reciting or teaching of
four ayat is better than four she-camels and an equal number of camels. [Muslim]

The City of Madinah

Madinah Munawarrah (the enlightened city) ranks as the second most holiest place in
Islam after Makkah. It is the city that gave refuge to the Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) and the early Muslims upon their migration from
Makkah and where lies the burial place of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
on him).
The city of Madinah was originally known as Yathrib, an oasis city dating as far back
as the 6th century BCE. During the war between Jews and Romans in the third
century CE many Jews fled Jerusalem and migrated to their ancestral place of Yathrib
(present Madinah). Nero sent massive Roman force under Petra Lenidas to Madinah
to massacre the Jews in 213 CE. A community survived and by the time the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had migrated there was a large Jewish
presence around the city.

The Jews were eagerly waiting for the arrival of a prophet who, according to their
scriptures, would appear in Madinah. They used to taunt the local Arabs that when he
did arrive, according to their prophesies, the Jews would destroy the pagans as the
ancient people of Aad and Thamud had been destroyed for their idolatry. However,
when they realized that the final prophet was chosen among the Arabs rather than
from the Jews their pride got the better of them and they rejected him even though as
the Quran mentions (in 2:146) they recognized him as they recognize their sons. In
spite of this there were some Jews who embraced Islam, most notably Hussain bin
Salam, one of their most learned Rabbis. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be on him) changed his name to Abdullah bin Salam.
The city of Madinah was not unfamiliar to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be on him) when he emigrated there. His father Abdullah was buried there and when
he was six years old he had travelled with his mother Aminah and their devoted slave
girl Barakah (later to be known as Umme Ayman). In later life he recounted how he
had learned to swim in a pool which belonged to his kinsmen with whom they had
stayed, and how the boys taught him to fly a kite. However, not long after they had set
out for the return journey his mother fell very ill, and died a few days later at Abwa,
not far from Yathrib and there she was buried. Barakah did what she could to console
the boy, now doubly an orphan and brought him back to Makkah.
About a year before the migration, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) had dispatched Musab bin Umair (may Allah be pleased with him) on a mission
to propagate Islam (Tableegh) to the people of Madinah. Many of the Ansar became
Muslims at his hands.
Madinah is 210 miles (340 km) north of Makkah. At the time of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him), Madinah was approximately the size of the present
masjid and the surrounding white tiled area.
Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): Whenever the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him) returned from a journey and observed the walls of
Madinah, he would make his mount go fast, and if he was on an animal (i.e. a horse),
he would make it gallop because of his love for Madinah [Bukhari]. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him): For the believer, Madinah is the best
place. If only they could understand its virtue fully, they would never leave it, and
whoever departs from Madinah, having become disenchanted with it, Allah will send
someone better to replace him. And whoever bears patiently the ordeals of Madinah,
for him shall I be an intercessor(or witness) on the Day of Qiyamat. [Muslim]
It is narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): When we came to Madinah, it
was an unhealthy, uncongenial place. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) fell
sick and Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) also fell sick; and when Allahs
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) saw the illness of his
Companions he said: O Allah, make Madinah as beloved to us as you made Makkah
beloved or more than that; make it conducive to health, and bless us in its sa and

mudd (two standards of weight and measurement) and transfer its fever to
Juhfa. [Bukhari]
It is stated in another hadith: There will be no town which Ad-Dajjal (the anti-Christ)
will not enter except Makkah and Madinah, and there will be no entrance (road) but
the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him, and then Madinah will
shake with its inhabitants thrice and Allah will expel all the nonbelievers and the
hypocrites from it.[Bukhari]
Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him) said, Verily, Belief returns and goes back to Madinah
as a snake returns and goes back to its hole (when in danger). [Bukhari]

Doors on eastern side

This is a view of the eastern wall of Masjid-e-Nabwi showing current prominent doors,
some of which were used at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him).
1.
Bab-e-Baqi
(Door
of
Baqi)
This door was installed in 1408 AH and is exactly opposite to Bab-e-Salaam which is on the
western side. This door is to facilitate the flow of people leaving the masjid after giving
salutation to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and his two companions.
2.
Funeral
place
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) used to lead Salat-ul-Janaza at this site
and the Sahaba continued this tradition. Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him)
described how and when this place was used for funeral services:

In the very beginning we used to inform the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) when someone was near death. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
used to visit the ailing person and made supplication for his forgiveness. Many times the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) stayed there till the completion of the
funeral services. In this way the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had to wait
there for a very long time at each such occasion. We, therefore, decided to take the body of
the deceased person near the Hujrat (houses of the wives of the Prophet) so that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) can lead the salat more easily. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) started offering Salat-ul-Janaza in the area described
above.
The Turks built an enclosure around the funeral courtyard which used to be open to
worshippers. Recently however, it is used as a storage space for materials needed in Masjide-Nabwi.
3.
Bab-e-Jibraeel
(Door
of
Jibraeel)
This door is also called Bab-un-Nabi since the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) used to enter the masjid through this door.
Jibraeel (upon him be peace) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
after the battle of Ahzab (the battle of the Confederates and also known as the battle of the
Trench), and talked to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) at the door step
of Bab-e-Jibraeel. It is mentioned in Bukhari as narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with
him), After the battle of Ahzab, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
disarmed himself and took a bath. In the meanwhile, Jibraeel (upon him be peace) came
riding a pony and talked to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) near the
door step of of Bab-e-Jibraeel. Jibraeel (upon him be peace) said to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him), You have put away your arms but we (the angels) are still in
battle uniforms. So you should come with us to attack the tribe of Banu Qurayza. Aisha
(may Allah be pleased with her) added, I was looking at Jibraeel (upon him be peace)
through the cracks in the door of my hut. Jibraeel (upon him be peace) was covered with
dust.
4.
Bab-un-Nisa
(Door
of
the
Women)
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) expanded the masjid during 17 AH. He built this door
at the end of eastern wall of the mosque. Women used to enter the masjid from this door and
offered their salat in the last rows and thus were able to avoid contact with men. Abu Dawud
mentioned that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, We should let the ladies use
this door exclusively.

The city of Makkah

Makkah is the blessed city which is the most beloved land in the sight of Allah
(Glorified and Exalted is He) and the chosen location of His House. It was here that the
final prophet and guide of the whole of mankind, Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him), was born and commenced his Prophethood.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has called Makkah by five names in the Quran:
Makkah, Bakkah, Al-Balad, Al-Qaryah and Ummul-Qura.

In Surah Al-Imran, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) states:Verily, the first House
(of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing,
and a guidance for Al-Alamin (mankind and jinn). [3:96]

When the Muslims conquered Makkah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
on him) said,Allah had made this city sacred the day He created the heavens and the
earth and its sanctity shall remain until the Day of Qiyaamah (Day of Judgement).
Its thorns cannot be broken, its animals cannot be harmed and things fallen on its
ground cannot be picked up unless with the intention of returning it to its owner or
making public announcements (to locate the owner). It is also forbidden to cut the
grass that (naturally) grows here. [Muslim]The reward of prayer offered in Masjid
al-Haram is multiplied many times. Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with
him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said:A
prayer in in this mosque of mine is better than one thousand prayers anywhere else,
except for Al-Masjid Al- Haram. A prayer in Al-Masjid Al-Haram is better than one
hundred thousand prayers (anywhere else). [Ahmad]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), sitting on his camel in the AlHazwarah market, addressed Makkah saying,By Allah, you are the best land of

Allah, the most beloved land of Allah to Allah. Had I not been driven out of you, I
would not have left you. [Zaadul Maaad]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) once remarked:There is no

city in which Dajjal will be unable to enter besides Makkah and Madinah. Every
street will be lined with angels standing in rows to protect them. [Bukhari]

In the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), camel caravans
were a major part of Makkahs bustling economy. Alliances were struck between the
merchants in Makkah and the local nomadic tribes, who would bring goods leather,
livestock, and metals mined in the local mountains to Makkah to be loaded on the
caravans and carried to cities in Syria and Iraq. Historical accounts also provide some
indication that goods from other continents may also have flowed through Makkah.

Muslim scientists have provided evidence to show that Makkah is the true centre of
the Earth, one argument being that unlike other longitudes, Makkahs is in perfect
alignment to magnetic north.

Daarul Arqam
This area, at the foot of Mount Safa was the approximate area where Daarul Arqam (The
house of Arqam) was located. It was here in the initial period of Islam that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) secretly preached Islam.

The house belonged to a Sahabi named Arqam bin Abu Arqam (may Allah be pleased with
him). For some time after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) proclaimed
his Prophethood, this house was the secret centre of propagation. It was here that the Muslims
gathered to perform salat and to learn about Islam. As it was a short walk away from the
Kabah and its bustling crowds, the pagans who lived nearby did not take notice of the many
people who used to gather here.
Daarul Arqam was also known as Daarul Khaizaraan. It was here that the following verse
from Surah al-Anfal was revealed:O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you, and for those who
follow you among the believers. [8:64]

When Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to take his Shahadah (declaration of the
faith of Islam) he asked Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him) where he would find the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Upon hearing of his desire to accept Islam,
Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him) exclaimed,Umar, I have hope that Allah hath
chosen thee through the prayers of His Prophet, whom yesterday I heard pray: O Allah,
strengthen Islam with Abu Hakam (Abu Jahal) the son of Hisham or with Umar the son of
Khattab!. O Khabbab, said Umar, where will Muhammad now be, that I may go to him

and enter Islam? Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he was at the
house of Arqam near the Safa Gate with many of his companions.

Umar girt his sword again and went to Safa, knocked at the door of the house, and said who
he was. The Sahabah had been warned that he was coming but they were struck by the
subdued tone of his voice. One of the companions went to the door and looked through a
chink and came back in some dismay. O Messenger of Allah he said, it is indeed Umar
and he is girt with his sword. Let him come in, said Hamza (may Allah be pleased with
him). if he has come with good intent, we will give him a wealth of good; and if his intent be
evil, we will slay him with his own sword. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) agreed that he should be admitted and, advancing to meet him, he seized him by the belt
and pulled him into the middle of the room saying, What has brought thee here, O son of
Khattab? I cannot see thee desisting until Allah sent down some calamities upon thee. O
Messenger of Allah, said Umar, I have come to thee that I may declare my faith in Allah,
and in his Messenger and in what he has brought from Allah. Allahu-Akbar!, said the
Prophet, in such a way that every man and woman in the house knew that Umar had entered
Islam; and they all rejoiced.
Because the valour and courage of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was acknowledged
by all, it was after his conversion to Islam that the Muslims started performing salat in the
open and Islam was propagated in public.

House
of
(may Allah be pleased with her)

Umme

Hani

This area, on the side of the Bab-e-Abdul Aziz gate is believed to have been the location
of the house of Umme Hani (may Allah be pleased with her), the cousin of the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and the daughter of Abu Talib. It was from
here that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was summoned by
Jibraeel (upon him be peace) and taken to Bayt Al-Maqdis in Jerusalem. This incident
is known as al-Isra (the night journey) and occurred around 621 CE.

The event of the night journey to Jerusalem is mentioned in Surah al-Isra (also known
as Surah Bani-Israeel) in the Quran:Glory be to the One who took His Slave for a
journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the furthest Mosque, whose precincts we
have blessed. [17:1]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had prayed the evening prayers
with Umm Hani and her family, then they all went to sleep. At dawn he said to
them,I prayed the evening prayers with you in this valley, then I went to Jerusalem
where I prayed, and here I am praying the dawn prayers with you.Messenger of
Allah, said Umm Hani, do not tell people this lest they reject and injure you..
Indeed I shall tell,said the Prophet.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) went to the Kabah where he
began to recount his miraculous journey and ascension to heaven. The Makkan
pagans, of course, ridiculed his claim. Some ran to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased
with him) and told him the story, thinking that it would shake his faith in the
Prophet. If he said so, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, it must be
true. Abu Bakrs answer as to why he believed is inspiring to all generations of
Muslims. Since he had believed Prophet was indeed a prophet, one to whom an angel
brought revelations from Allah, Lord of the worlds, why should he not also believe
the Prophets account of his travel through space and time? From that day onwards,
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was called Siddeeq, one who believes.

In an attempt to prove that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was
lying, those Makkans who were familiar with Jerusalem and the Sacred Mosque (alAqsa) quizzed him about his journey. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
on him) described everything in detail, and no one could fault his description.
Additionally, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) told the Makkans
about a caravan travelling from Jerusalem to Makkah, mentioning the number of
camels, their condition, and the time that they would arrive in Makkah. The caravan
from Jerusalem appeared exactly when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
on him) said it would, and everyone saw that his description was accurate. But the
pagans remained fettered to their disbelief.

Some scholars are of the opinion that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) went to sleep at night in the house of Umme Hani (may Allah be pleased with
her), then rose after a brief while and went to the Kabah, for he loved to visit it
during the night hours. While he was there, the desire to sleep came over him again
and he lay down in the Hijr. It was from here that Jibraeel (upon him be peace) awoke
him.

Umme Hanis real name was Fakhita. She grew up with the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him

Darun Nadwah
This photo, which is north-west of the Kabah, shows the approximate place where the
Darun Nadwah (Assembly House) was located. The house functioned as a house of
parliament for the Quraysh and it was from here that they plotted to kill the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Note that this area is located in the new
expansion project of the Haram.

Qusay bin Kilaab built the Darun Nadwah approximately 150 years before the birth of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). The house was used for public
meetings; discussions were held to settle important matters like war and peace,
caravans assembled before going out, and marriages and other ceremonies were
conducted. It was also from here that battalions received their flags before marching
in battle.

The leaders of the Quraysh gathered in Darun Nadwah to scheme against Islam and
the Muslims. When Islam was gathering strength in Makkah and the Quraysh feared
their power would become undermined they held a special council to discuss how
they could get rid of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him).

Iblees (Satan) was also present in this meeting disguised as Sheik Jaleel of Najd.
Some of the leaders of the Quraysh were of the opinion that they should banish the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) from their territory, while others felt
they should imprison him till death. Finally, Abu Jahl put forth his idea that they
should each select a strong youth from their tribe, arm them with swords and strike
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in one go. By assassinating the

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in this manner,all of the clans would
have a share of his blood and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)s
protectors, Banu Abdu Munaf could not take on all of the Quraysh at one time. Sheik
Jaleel (Iblees) commended the plan and the Quraysh set their trap.

However, Jibraeel (upon him be peace) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him) and told him of the plot to assassinate him. That night, the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) asked Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)
to sleep in his bed after assuring him that no harm would come to him and he himself
managed to slip away unnoticed. It was only at dawn that the Quraysh realised that it
was Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that was sleeping on the bed and that they
had been tricked. Regarding this incident Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) makes
mention in Surah al-Anfal:Remember how the unbelievers plotted against you to
imprison you, to kill you, or to exile you from Makkah. They plot and plan, but Allah
plans too, and the best of planners is Allah. [8:30]

Darun Nadwah came into Muslim control after the conquest of Makkah. Due to the
close proximity to the Masjid Haram, many Muslim leaders and Khulafa stayed there
when they performed Hajj and Umrah, among them being Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) on one occasion.

The Abbasi Khalifah, Mutadhid Billah included the Darun Nadwah in the Masjid
Haram in the year 284 AH (897 CE)

Bab ul-Fatah
This gateway to the Kabah is know as Bab-ul-Fatah (Door of Victory). It was from here
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) entered during the conquest
of Makkah on Friday, 20 Ramadhan 8 A.H.

When the army of Muslims came towards Makkah, they first halted at Dhu Tuwa, not
far from the city but within sight of it. When his camel Qaswa came to a halt, the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) bowed his head until his beard
almost touched the saddle, in gratitude to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) then drew up his troops to enter
Makkah. Khalid bin Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him) took command of the
right and entered from the lower part of Makkah. Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with
him) took command of the left wing and entered from the upper part of Kada. The
centre part of the army was divided into two; half of it was led by Sad bin Ubadah
(may Allah be pleased with him) and his son, and the other half, in which the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) himself rode, was led by Abu Ubaidah bin
Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who commanded the infantry. The sheer
surprise of the attack stunned the Quraysh and very little resistance was put up against
the Muslims.

It is reported that Ali , the grandson of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
on him) through his daughter Zainab (may Allah be pleased with him), sat with the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) on the camels back during the
triumphal entry into Makkah.

A red leather tent was pitched for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) in which he made wudhu (ablution) and performed 8 rakah of nafl salat, after
which he rested for an hour or more. Then he called for Qaswa, and having put on his
coat of mail and his helmet, he girt on his sword; but in his hand he carried a staff,
and his visor was up. Some of those who had ridden with him that morning were
already in line outside the tent, and they made an escort for him as he went to the
Haram, talking to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was at his side.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) went to the Kabah and
performed tawaf. Around the Kabah were three hundred and sixty idols. With a stick
he was carrying he pushed them over, saying:The truth has come and falsehood has
vanished
away.
Falsehood
is
ever
vanishing [Quran
17:81]
The truth has come and falsehood originates not nor brings again [Quran 34:49]

After performing the circle the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
dismounted from his camel and prayed at the Maqame Ebrahim, then drank from the
well of Zamzam. He then asked for the keys to the Kabah and went inside for a
while. By the time he came out the Quraysh had filled the Haram , awaiting anxiously
to see what he would do next.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) stood at the door of the Kabah,
holding its frame and spoke at length to his former persecutors humbled before him,
explaining several laws of Islam and abolishing all pagan practices. Then he asked
them, Men of the Quraysh! What do you think I will do to you?. They said, We
hope for the best. You are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother!. The

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) replied, I say to you what Yusuf
said to his brothers, No reproach shall be on you this day. Go on your way, you are
free.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) ordered Bilal (may Allah be
pleased with him) to climb up on the roof of the Kabah and give the athan (it is
narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) himself offered his
shoulder for Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to climb from). It was the first
time the leaders of the Quraysh had heard the word of Allah rising up; the valley of
Makkah reverberated with the sound.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) entered the house of his cousin
Umme Hani (may Allah be pleased with him), had a bath and prayed eight rakah of
Salatul-Fath, the Prayer of Victory, to thank Allah for the conquest.

Many eminent members of Quraysh, former bitter enemies, came into the fold of
Islam on this day including Abu Sufyan and his wife Hind who had during the battle
of Uhud chewed the liver of Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him).

Zamzam Well
The photo shows the source of the Zamzam water within its well. The Zamzam well has
provided some 4000 years of almost continuous water supply, a living miracle.

Ebrahim (upon him be peace) took his son Ismail (upon him be peace) and the childs
mother Hajrah (upon her be peace) to Makkah where he left them with only some
water and dates as provisions. Once the provisions ran out, mother and son became
thirsty and restless. Hajrah (upon her be peace) climbed up Mount Safa to see whether
she could sight any people from whom she could get water. When she saw nothing,

she crossed the valley and then climbed up Mount Marwah for the same reason. When
she saw nothing here either, she started running from Safa to Marwah and back again
in her anxiety. When she had done so seven times and was atop Mount Marwah, she
heard a sound. When she returned (to where her son lay), she saw that an angel had
struck his wing on the ground, causing water to gush forth from the spot. The name of
the well comes from the phrase Zome Zome, meaning stop flowing, a command
repeated by Hajra (upon her be peace) during her attempt to contain the spring water.

When the Jurhum tribe from Yemen arrived in Makkah some time afterwards, they
settled there and Ismail (upon him be peace) married one of them. It was the children
of Ismail. (upon him be peace) who had the honour of looking after the Kabah and
after them, the Jurhum tribe assumed responsibility. However, once these people
started violating the sanctity of the place, the Zamzam well dried up as a form of
punishment for them and eventually no sign was left of it. For centuries, people did
not even know where it was located.

Abdul Muttalibs son, Abdullah, the father of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him), was a handsome youth. He was called Dhabih (the sacrificed) in
reference to the rediscovery of Zamzam . When Abdul Muttalib was digging beside
the Kabah in search of the old well, the Quraysh watched him idly. Once he began to
reach wet soil, they insisted on sharing in his discovery, and they raised a great
clamour. Abdul Muttalib vowed to Allah that he would sacrifice one of his ten sons if
he were allowed to uncover the well. In the end, Abdul Muttalib continued excavating
and discovered the old well.

Afterwards, he drew lots to determine which son he would sacrifice and Abdullah was
chosen. Abdul Muttalib took Abdullah to the Kabah and was prepared to sacrifice
him, but the Quraysh, particularly Abdullahs brother and maternal uncles, were
opposed to the sacrifice. Finally, it was decided that one hundred camels should be
sacrificed in his place. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is
called the descendent of the two sacrificed ones for Ismail (upon him be peace) was
ransomed for a ram and his father for a hundred camels.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was a young boy and
playing with other children near Haleemah As-Sadiyahs house, Jibraeel (upon him be
peace) appeared and made him lie down. He then opened up the boys chest, took out
his heart and extracted a lump of flesh from it, saying: This is the portion of Shaitan
in you. Then he put his heart in a golden tray filled with Zamzam water, washed it
and replaced it in his chest. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) later said that he
saw the scar on the Prophets chest where it had been sewn back together.

There is healing power in Zamzam. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)
reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said,The best water
on the face of the earth is the water of Zamzam. In it is complete nourishment and
healing from sickness. [At-Tabarani]

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) say: Zamzam is a cure for any purpose for which it
is drunk. Another Hadith states,If you drink it to quench a thirst, it will do so, and
if you drink it to fill the stomach in place of food, it will do so, and if you drink it for a
cure from some illness, it will do so. [It-Haaf]

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that when the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him) drank Zamzam he said the following prayer: O Allah,
grant me beneficial knowledge, abundant sustenance and a cure from all diseases.

The Bible makes a reference of the miracle of Zamzam when it talks about the
passing through of Ismail (upon him be peace) and his mother through the
valley: Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of
them who passing through the valley of Bacca make it a well. [Psalm 84:5-6. Note
that the Quran also refers to Makkah as Bakkah]

The Zamzam well is approximately 30m deep. Up until 1953 water was drawn by
bucket, electric pumps now pump water into tanks.

Maqame Ebrahim
The Maqame Ebrahim refers to the stone on which Ebrahim (upon him be peace) stood
on while he was building the Kabah. As Ismail (upon him be peace) passed stones onto
Ebrahim (upon him be peace) and as Ebrahim (upon him be peace) continued laying
them in place the Maqame Ebrahim miraculously continued rising higher and higher as
the walls rose. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) caused the trace of his footprints to
remain on the stone as a reminder to the believers among his descendants.

It has been reported from Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said:The stone is the station of
Ebrahim. Allah made it soft and made it a mercy. Ebrahim would stand on it and
Ismail would hand the stones up to him. [Muthir Al-Gharam]

Ebrahim and Ismail (upon them be peace) used to mention the following Quranic
verse as they were constructing the Holy Kabah,Our Lord! Accept (this service)
from us: for you are the All-Hearing, The All-Knowing. [2:127]

Ebrahim (upon him be peace) constructed the Kabah using rocks from five
mountains; Hira, Thubayr, Labnaan, Toor and Jabalul Khayr. Toor Seena is actually
situated in the eastern desert of Egypt.

When Ebrahim (upon him be peace) completed the construction of the Kabah he was
commanded by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He): And proclaim to mankind the
Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will
come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj). [alHajj 22:27] Ibn Kathir says in his commentary that this verse means: Proclaim (O
Ebrahim) the Hajj to the people, calling them to come on pilgrimage to this House
which We have commanded you to build. It was mentioned that he said, O Lord,
how can I proclaim it to the people when my voice does not reach them? He said,
Call and We will convey it. So he stood at his Maqam (station) or according to
some narrations on al-Safa, or on mount Abu Qubays and said: O people, your
Lord has taken a House, so come to it on pilgrimage. And it was said that the
mountains lowered themselves so that his voice could reach all parts of the earth and
those who were still in the wombs or in mens loins also heard, and everything that
heard him, cities, nomad encampments and trees, and everyone whom Allah has
decreed should perform Hajj until the Day of Resurrection responded (saying)
Labbayk Allahumma labbayk (Here I am, O Allah, here I am). This is the summary of
what was narrated from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Saeed ibn Jubayr and others
(may Allah be pleased with them).

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is
He) fulfilled three wishes that he had. One of these is that when he proposed to the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) that the Maqame Ebrahim should be
made a place for performing salah (prayer). Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)
revealed the following verse in the Quran in Surah al-Baqarah:Take the Maqam of
Ebrahim as a place of salah (a place behind which you perform two rakahs of salah
after Tawaf)[2:125]

At the time of Ebrahim (upon him be peace) the Maqam was attached to the Kabah.
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), seeing that leaving it where it was would
make the space too crowded for Tawaf or for prayers had it moved to the place it is
now to make it easier for people. There was consensus among the Sahabah for this
action of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), for he was the one who had

suggested

it

should

be

taken

as

place

of

prayer.

Juhm bin Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), a Sahabi who was present
when the Quraysh rebuilt the Kabah as well as when Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah
be pleased with him) rebuilt it says that the blessed footprints of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) very closely matches those of Ebrahim (upon him
be peace). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) also
mentioned:From all the children of Ebrahim (upon him be peace) it is I who
resembles him the most.[Bukhari]

Although the Arabs worshipped stones during the Period of Ignorance, no one ever
worshipped the Hajar al-Aswad or the Maqame Ebrahim even though the Arabs
revered them. It appears that it was Allahs explicit intention to protect the Maqame
Ebrahim
from
Shirk
and
all
types
of
worship.

Note that the significance of the Maqame Ebrahim is that it is a place for the
performance of salat and not for touching or kissing. When there are lots of people
performing tawaf it is better to perform salat some distance away from the Maqame
Ebrahim to avoid causing unnecessary inconvenience to others.

City of Makkah

Kabah

Inside the Kabah

Hajar al-Aswad

Multazam

Door of Kabah

Rukan Yamani

Meezab

Hateem/Hijr Ismail

Maqame Ebrahim

Zamzam Well

Mataf

Safa Marwah

House of Umme Hani (may Allah be pleased with her)

Daarul Arqam

House of Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her)

Bab ul-Fatah

House of Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)

Darun Nadwah

House of Abu Jahal

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Hajar al-Aswad
The picture above shows the Hajar al-Aswad (The Black Stone), which is set in the
eastern corner of the Kabah. Tawaf is started and ended by facing this sacred stone.
Throughout the ages, innumerable people including many of the Prophets (upon him be
peace), the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) himself, the
Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him), pious personalities and millions of Muslims
who have performed Hajj and Umrah have placed their blessed lips on it.

The Hajar al-Aswad was brought from Jannah and presented to Ebrahim (upon him be
peace) to be placed on the corner of the Kabah. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased
with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
said:The Black Stone came down from Paradise and it was whiter than milk, but the
sins of the sons of Adam turned it black. [Tirmidhi]

Duas are accepted at the Hajar al-Aswad and on the Day of Judgement it will testify
in favour of all those who kissed it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) said:By Allah! On the Day of Qiyaamah, Allah will present the Hajar al-Aswad
in such a manner that it will have two eyes and a tongue to testify to the Imaan (faith)
of all those who kissed it. [Tirmidhi]

When the Quraysh demolished the Holy Kabah in order to reconstruct it, a dispute
arose when the building reached the level of the Black Stone. They differed on the
issue of who was eligible to restore the Black Stone to its original place. A civil war
was about to break out. Banu Abdud-Dar brought a bowl full of blood and all of the
tribes inserted their hands in it, which meant that they had made up their minds to
fight one another. But Abu Umayya Ibn al-Mugheera , their elder, asked Quraysh to
agree on the judgement of the first person to come through the Bani Shaibah gate and
they all agreed on this suggestion. The first to come through this gate was the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him). This was five years before his mission. He
put the Black Stone in the middle of a piece of cloth, and asked a representative of
each tribe to hold one of the edges of the cloth and raise it close to its place. Then the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) picked it up with his own noble
hands and restored it to its original place. This was how the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him) prevented a war from breaking out among the Quraysh
by a supreme demonstration of wisdom.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him), while leaning against the Kabah said:The Hajr alAswad and al-Maqam (Ebrahim) are two jewels from the jewels of Paradise. Had
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) not concealed their radiance, they would
illuminate everything between the East and the West. [Tirmidhi]

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once kissed the Hajar al-Aswad and said, I
know well that you are just a stone that can do neither good nor harm. Had I not seen
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) kiss you, I would not have done
so. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made the statement because there were
many people who were newly converted to Islam and he did not want them to get the
impression that Muslims also revered stones as the Arabs revered and worshipped
stone idols during the Period of Ignorance. Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him) made it clear that he was following the Sunnah practice of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) and that although the stone is blessed, it can do
neither harm nor good.

The Hajar al-Aswad was stolen from the Kabah around 930 CE by Qarmatian
warriors who were an Ismaeeli Shia sect. They sacked Makkah, desecrating the Well
of Zamzam with Muslim corpses and carried the Black Stone away to their base in
Ihsaa, in medieval Bahrain. According to the historian Al-Juwayni, the Stone was
returned in around 952 CE and restored to its original location.

The Hajar al-Aswad was originally a complete stone but due to various historical
incidents now consists of eight pieces of varying sizes affixed to a large stone and
encased in a silver frame. The silver frame was first made by Abdullah bin Zubayr
(may Allah be pleased with him) and replaced by later Khalifas as the need arose.

Six (additional) pieces are claimed to be in Istanbul, Turkey. One is displayed in the
mihrab of the Blue Mosque, one above the entrance of the tomb of Sulaiman the
Magnificent and four in the Sokullu Sehit Mehmet Pasa Camii masjid (one over the
mihrab, one below the lower pulpit, another is above the upper pulpit and the last is
over the entrance door). The authenticity of these additional pieces has been
questioned, although the Turks did rule over what is now Saudi Arabia for many years
and hold many historical Islamic relics. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)
knows best.

Note that when kissing the Hajar al-Aswad, one should neither push people nor harm
anyone because while kissing the Hajar al-Aswad is Sunnah, causing harm to people
is a forbidden act (haram). When the area is crowded, it will suffice to merely point
towards the Hajar al-Aswad with ones hand or a stick while reciting the Takbeer and
then to kiss the hand or stick. Although the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
on him) kissed the Hajar al-Aswad directly, he also pointed towards it when the area
was crowded, it is therefore clear that both kissing it and pointing towards it are
Sunnah.

Rukan Yamani
This corner of the Kabah is called the Rukan Yamani because it is situated on the side
of the Kabah which faces the land of Yemen. It is on the wall opposite to that of the
Hajar al-Aswad.

Because this corner is still standing on the foundation that Ebrahim (upon him be
peace) built, the narration of Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)
states that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) made Istilaam of it.

Istilaam refers to the touching of the corner whether this is done by hand or by
kissing. As the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) touched the Rukn
Yamaani by hand, this practise is Sunnah. However, there is no harm if one is unable
to touch it due to the crowds.

It was the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) that when
he passed between the Rukn Yamani and the Hajar al-Aswad, he recited the following
duaa:O Rabb, grant us (all that which is) good in this world, (all that which is)
good in the Aakhirah and save us from the punishment of the fire (of
Jahannam). [Surah Baqarah, verse 201]

The city of Makkah

Makkah is the blessed city which is the most beloved land in the sight of Allah
(Glorified and Exalted is He) and the chosen location of His House. It was here that the
final prophet and guide of the whole of mankind, Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him), was born and commenced his Prophethood.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has called Makkah by five names in the Quran:
Makkah, Bakkah, Al-Balad, Al-Qaryah and Ummul-Qura.

In Surah Al-Imran, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) states:Verily, the first House
(of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing,
and a guidance for Al-Alamin (mankind and jinn). [3:96]

When the Muslims conquered Makkah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
on him) said,Allah had made this city sacred the day He created the heavens and the
earth and its sanctity shall remain until the Day of Qiyaamah (Day of Judgement).
Its thorns cannot be broken, its animals cannot be harmed and things fallen on its
ground cannot be picked up unless with the intention of returning it to its owner or
making public announcements (to locate the owner). It is also forbidden to cut the
grass that (naturally) grows here. [Muslim]The reward of prayer offered in Masjid
al-Haram is multiplied many times. Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with
him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said:A
prayer in in this mosque of mine is better than one thousand prayers anywhere else,
except for Al-Masjid Al- Haram. A prayer in Al-Masjid Al-Haram is better than one
hundred thousand prayers (anywhere else). [Ahmad]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), sitting on his camel in the AlHazwarah market, addressed Makkah saying,By Allah, you are the best land of
Allah, the most beloved land of Allah to Allah. Had I not been driven out of you, I
would not have left you. [Zaadul Maaad]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) once remarked:There is no

city in which Dajjal will be unable to enter besides Makkah and Madinah. Every
street will be lined with angels standing in rows to protect them. [Bukhari]

In the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), camel caravans
were a major part of Makkahs bustling economy. Alliances were struck between the
merchants in Makkah and the local nomadic tribes, who would bring goods leather,
livestock, and metals mined in the local mountains to Makkah to be loaded on the
caravans and carried to cities in Syria and Iraq. Historical accounts also provide some
indication that goods from other continents may also have flowed through Makkah.

Muslim scientists have provided evidence to show that Makkah is the true centre of
the Earth, one argument being that unlike other longitudes, Makkahs is in perfect
alignment to magnetic north.

City of Makkah
Kabah
Inside the Kabah
Hajar al-Aswad
Multazam
Door of Kabah
Rukan Yamani
Meezab
Hateem/Hijr Ismail
Maqame Ebrahim
Zamzam Well
Mataf
Safa Marwah
House of Umme Hani (may Allah be pleased with her)
Daarul Arqam

House of Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her)

Bab ul-Fatah
House of Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)
Darun Nadwah
House of Abu Jahal
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Inside the Kabah

The diagram above shows a rare view of what the interior of the Kabah looks
like. The construction made by Ebrahim (upon him be peace) contained no
roof, it was the Quraysh who raised the walls of the Kabah and added a roof.
Today, only a privileged few have had the opportunity to step inside the
Kabah.

During the times of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance), a man and woman from the Yemenite tribe of
Jurhum called Isaf and Nailah committed adultery inside the Kabah. Allah (Glorified and
Exalted is He) turned them into stones. When they were found the next day, they were
carried outside and were set up at the Kabah as a warning. Over time these two stones
were worshipped along with the other idols. One of the stones was placed right next to
the Kabah; the other one was set up at the spring of Zamzam. Finally, the Quraysh
ordered that the stone next to the Kabah to be carried to the other one at Zamzam. From
then on, people slaughtered their sacrificial animals at that spot.

When Islam began to spread, the Quraysh became more embittered and could not
tolerate the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) any longer. The chiefs drew
up a document which called for the social and economic boycott of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be on him) and all those who supported him and his family. All of
them signed this document on 1st Muharram of the seventh year of the Prophethood and
the scroll was hung up inside the Kabah to give it full sanctity. For three long years the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and his kinsmen were ostracized in a

narrow valley in Makkah. Food was so scarce that they had to resort to eating leaves of
trees and their childrens cries could be heard all over the valley. At last by the Grace of
Allah, the scroll was eaten up by white ants save for the name of Allah and the boycott
was uplifted.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) arrived in Makkah on the day
of victory, he made tawaf around the Kabah seven times and touched the Hajar al-Aswad
with his staff. He then asked Uthman bin Talha to open the door of the Kabah. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) entered the Kabah accompanied by
Usama bin Zaid, Bilal and Uthman bin Talha (may Allah be pleased with him). He closed
the door, performed prayer, stayed for some time and then went out.

Inside the Kabah were statues of Ebrahim (upon him be peace) and Ismail (upon him be
peace) along with pictures of angels and a picture of Ebrahim (upon him be peace) with
divining arrows in his hand. It has also been reported that there was an icon painting of
the Virgin Mary and the child Christ which had been done by a Christian. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him) ordered all of them to be destroyed.

The two horns of the ram which Ebrahim (upon him be peace) slaughtered were hung
inside the Holy Kabah. When Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him)
demolished the Holy Kabah to rebuild it, he found the horns had disintegrated due to
previous damage and age.

The Quraysh had erected their chief idol, Hubal, within the centre of Kabah. It was made
of red carnelian and shaped like a human with the right hand broken which the Quraysh
had replaced with gold. In front of the idol were seven arrows of fate and when the pagan
Arabs were undecided on a matter they would go to Hubal and throw the arrows in front
of him and took advice based on how the arrows appeared.

Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
had made a vow that if he ever had ten sons he would sacrifice one of them to God in
front of the Kabah. When he subsequently fathered ten grown up sons up he announced
his vow to them and had their names written on arrows of fate which were mixed and then
one drawn out. Destiny fell upon Abdullah, his youngest and dearest son, who was to
become the father of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Not wanting
to sacrifice Abdullah, Abdul Muttalib consulted a soothsayer to see how he could be
exonerated from his vow and in return for Abdullahs life he gave away 100 camels.
Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is called the descendant of
the two sacrificed ones (Ismail (upon him be peace) and his own father, Abdullah).
Similarly, he is referred to as the descendant of the two elders held for ransom, for
Ismail (upon him be peace) was ransomed for a ram and his father for a hundred camels.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had Hubal destroyed after the
conquest of Makkah.