MUSJIDUL HAQ

Download PDF: The Real Reason behind the Sacredness of Makkatul Mukarramah and Madinatul Munawwarah

There is no doubt that Makkah Mukarramah is sacred and possesses high honour.  It is also called Ummul Qura i.e. Mother of cities.  There could be many reasons due to which this city attained such lofty status; the Holy Ka’bah, Maqaame Ibraheemi, the Well of ZamZam, Safa and Marwah, Muzdalifah, Mina, Arafaat, Rukne Yamaani, Rukne Aswad and Shaami, Hajare Aswad is also in this city, Meezaabe Rahmat, Mataaf, Hateem and at every step there are blessings in this city.  Perhaps all these factors could have made this city so sacred?

Well, there is no doubt that all these factors by themselves are a great deal of honour and dignity and they make up for a lot of sacredness that is attributed to the city of Makkah Mukarramah but the greatest cause for its sacredness is:

وَ اَنۡتَ حِلٌّۢ بِہٰذَا الْبَلَدِ ۙ﴿۲﴾

Because, O beloved! you are dwelling in this city;

This landscape of this city has kissed your feet and the atmosphere of this city has smelt your fragrance and therefore I swear by this city because you are dwelling in it:

لَاۤ اُقْسِمُ بِہٰذَا الْبَلَدِ ۙ﴿۱﴾

I swear by this City;
وَ اَنۡتَ حِلٌّۢ بِہٰذَا الْبَلَدِ ۙ﴿۲﴾

Because O beloved! you are dwelling in this city;

It took the sacredness of Makkatul Mukarramah to another level and the same goes for the beloved city of Madinah Munawwarah because the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – resides there and they attained such lofty status that no other city in the world can compare because they have a connection with our beloved Nabi – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him.

Makkah Mukarramah was conquered in 8 A.H. and he could have settled down in Makkah once again and not return to Madinah Shareef since the reason due to which he migrated from Makkah Shareef was no more but no, he returned to Madinah Shareef and fulfilled the connection he had established with this beloved city of Madinah Munawwarah and finally he is buried there due to which its status got elevated ever more.

Ulama have declared Madinah Shareef to be the holiest city in the world, and yes there is a difference of opinion among the scholars whether Makkah Shareef is more honoured or Madinah Shareef.  Both the parties have valid arguments but Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlwi has clarified it very beautifully and says:

“When the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – stayed in Makkah Mukarramah then Makkah Shareef was more honoured and when he migrated to Madinah Munawwarah then Madinah Shareef became more honoured.”

The honour and izzat followed him in wherever he headed, Allahu Akbar!

There is an example in Islamic Shariah as to how the condition of a place changes due to the personality.  As we all are aware that the first row of Salah congregation is the most rewarding due to it being close to the Imam but the way we define the first row is not how it is structurally designed in the Musjid but the first row is the one right behind the Imam.  If the Imam is performing Salah by the Mehrab of the Musjid then the structural first row of the Musjid becomes the first row but when the Imam performs the Salah in the Musjid’s courtyard then the first row moves there, so if just by the presence of an ordinary Imam can make the first row of congregation of Salah so excellent then what would be the status of the place where the Imam of all the Imam resides?

لَاۤ اُقْسِمُ بِہٰذَا الْبَلَدِ ۙ﴿۱﴾

I swear by this City;
وَ اَنۡتَ حِلٌّۢ بِہٰذَا الْبَلَدِ ۙ﴿۲﴾

And O beloved! you are dwelling in this city;

70,000 angels descend here every morning and evening and make Salaam in the court of the beloved Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – and the angel visits here once, he never gets a second chance till the day of Judgment.  It is only our good luck that we are blessed to visit again and again.

Imam Azam Abu Hanifah, Imam Shafe’i and Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal – may Allah be pleased with them – stated that if someone goes to visit the blessed tomb of the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – then upon his return he should say that he has returned from the blessed tomb of the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – and when he leave to visit then say that he is going to visit the Mubarak Tomb of his but Imam Maalik – may Allah be pleased with him – says that if someone goes to visit the blessed tomb of the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – then upon his return he should not say that he has returned from the blessed tomb of the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – but rather say, “I have visited the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – and returned, for the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated that who visits my grave after my passing away it is as if he has visited me during my lifetime.

He has also stated that whoever visits my grave my intercession becomes mandatory for him.

How beautiful Imam Malik has express this sentiment that when we go there we should not have the thought that we are going to see the structure of Musjidun Nabawi Shareef and the Mimbar etc but rather the intention must be to visit the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – himself because the veil of the gate and Jaali is only for us but he has no such limitations.

He can even see through the visitor and the condition of his heart.

When a true lover visits the Mubarak court he goes with the intention of pouring his heart out and ask for things but as soon as he enters the Raudah Mubarakah he forgets everything else in that ecstasy upon seeing the beauty of the beloved he forgets all his problems.

May Allah bless us with the Haaziri of the Mubarak Raudah again and again.  Ameen ya Rabb al-Aalameen.