Africa 24 Media Photography

When Prophet Mohamed and his followers left Mecca in 622 of the Christian era, they migrated two hundred and seventy seven miles across the world desert of Medina, Islam’s second holiest city. The migration marked the beginning of the Islamic calendar. Ten years later the Muslims rode out to conquer the pagans and restore Mecca to its rightful place as the sacred city. Today, a simple white washed mosque known as alQuba stands where Muhammad built Medina’s first mosque of mud and wattle. Two Salats, unity prayers, said in this mosque are equal to a lesser pilgrimage.

Near the centre of the city is the huge prophet’s mosque, which contains the tombs of the prophet and martyrs such as Muhammad’s great friend, Abu Bakr, and the Caliph Omar. A drape of dark green now enshrouds these tombs. Above the chamber rises the Green Dome. It was here that the prophet died in 632 of the Christian era, aged sixty-two. Muslims believe a prayer in this mosque is worth a thousand prayers anywhere else, excepting those made at the sacred Mosque in Mecca. Although a visit to Medina is not part of the pilgrimage, few who perform Hajj miss the opportunity to visit the city and its many sites of historic interest. These include the unique Qiblatain Mosque- the only one that has two Qiblahs. Here the prophet relays God’s command that the faithful should face the Ka’bah in Mecca, not Jerusalem. The Qiblah that used to face Jerusalem still stands. All other such Qiblahs have been walled up. Not far away is the Mosque of al-Ahzab, built on the site of the defensive trench the Muslims dug to fight off the Meccan pagans. Between the prophets Mosque and the centre of the city stands the mosque of al-Jumaa, where Muhammad offered the first prayer. Three miles from the town stand the hills of Uhud, where the prophet’s uncle, Hazrat Hamza, and other heroes died in battle against the heathens. It was in Medina that the prophet built around himself and companions which was the foundation of the Islamic state.

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