The City of Medina

• The city of Medina 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 Medina). Nero sent a massive Roman force under Petra Lenidas to Medina 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 Medina. 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 Medina 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 where she was buried. Barakah did what she could to console the boy, now doubly an orphan and brought him back to Mecca.
• About a year before the migration, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had dispatched Mus’ ab bin Umair (may Allah be pleased with him) on a mission to propagate Islam (Tableegh) to the people of Medina. Many of the Ansar became Muslims at his hands.
• Medina is 210 miles (340 km) north of Mecca. At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), Medina 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 Medina, 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 Medina [Bukhari]. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him): “ For the believer, Medina is the best place. If only they could understand it’ s virtue fully, they would never leave it, and whoever departs from Medina, having become disenchanted with it, Allah will send someone better to replace him. And whoever bears patiently the ordeals of Medina, for him shall I be an intercessor(or witness) on the Day of Qiyamah.” [Muslim]
• It is narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): When we came to Medina, 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 Allah’ s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) saw the illness of his Companions he said: “ O Allah, make Medina as beloved to us as you made Mecca 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 Mecca and Medina, and there will be no entrance (road) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him, and then Medina 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 Medina as a snake returns and goes back to its hole (when in danger).” [Bukhari]