The Blessing of Medina
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most-Compassionate, Most-Merciful
Permit me to recall a really beautiful story to you of my last day in Medina on this blessed day of Jumu’ah.
It was my final day in Medina and we were planning to leave after Asr prayer, as it was, the evening before, I had like most others, given my salaam to the Prophet (s) and had not planned to pray in the Rowdah, or so I thought. The rowdah, as you know is the area of the original mosque, next to which is the house of Aisha (ra) where the Prophet (s) is buried. As one might expect we were all quite sad to have to leave, none moreso than myself, who felt this place home like none other. Well I remember having done all my packing and prayed dhuhr in the masjid and then had some lunch. As I was walking back to the hotel I met a group of the brothers on the trip who said they were going to the masjid early before Asr to do some dhikr and ibadah. So I decided to go also but because I had given my salaam to the Prophet (s) the night before, which had already been a difficult undertaking, I said that I probably would not go to the Rowdah but would just pray somewhere quiet in the mosque. So we set off, the hotel was literally a couple of minutes from the masjid. When we arrived, and as is the norm, one tries to pray as far forward as possible, usually made easier during Asr as the masjid would fill slightly later than at other times. So we continued walk and did so right the way to the front and to the old part of the masjid marked by the sea of columns from the Ottoman times.
I was quite happy with this as its usually quite difficult to get that far forward given how busy it usually is as you might expect. Well on this occasion, and to all our surprise, the area of the Rowdah, marked with green carpet rather than the red carpet in the rest of the mosque, had been cordoned off for cleaning. Subha’Allah, in the ten days or so of having been there I’d never seen so much expanse of green carpet as it was always occupied by worshippers throughout the day. Now, the cleaners, may Allah bless them all, had almost finished and there was an ever growing crowd of people that had assembled at the point where the separating cordon was to be lifted. It was an interesting few moments, one of the cleaners stood waiting for the signal from one of his colleagues to open the barrier. So everyone’s eyes were on this guy, just as he seemed he was going to unclip the barrier everyone was one their toes getting ready to sprint to get to the best places they could inside the Rowdah, but then he would re-clip the barrier and we’d all collectively moan at the false alarm. This happened one ot two times more which only increased our anticipation at wanting to pray as close to our Prophet (s) as possible. Then all of a sudden this chap was given the signal and he unclipped the barrier, barely had he unfurled this barrier from its place and made an opening, that a surge of overwhelming delighted worshippers raced with each other to find that place in the Rowdah that pleased them the most. I was no different and found a tremendous surge in my heart, of a feeling of being most blessed and fortunate to be presented this opportunity to pray in the Rowdah for one final time even though it had not been my intention. And so, like all these all believers i raced, some went to the mihrab where the Prophet (s) stood to lead the prayer and address the believers, some were content to simply get onto the green carpet, whilst others like myself sought a place as close as possible to the Prophet (s).
It is difficult to adequately describe the intensity of that ibadah or the sense of blessing and honour conveyed by Allah in being permitted to pray so close to the Prophet (s) one final time, even though it had not been my intention. That time and many others, continue to remain very strong memories and experiences of a place like none other on earth. A place the scholars describe as Jannah on account of the five portions of Jannah that are contained in Medina, a place made no more important because it is the city and more importantly the blessed residence of the Prophet (s) without whom none of these experiences and blessings would ever have been possible. We are forever indebted to our Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّؤُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“But those who, before them, had homes in [Medina] and had adopted the faith, show their affection to those who came to them for refuge, and do not entertain in their hearts desire for things given to them, but give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was their [own lot]. And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,- they are the ones that achieve prosperity. “(Qur’an, al-Hashr 59:9)
Insha’Allah, let us then, as the followers of the our noble Prophet (s), seek to make easy for others that journey to the city of the Prophet (s) just as the Ansar did for the Muhajarun and all others that would undertake a most difficult journey just to be in the company of the Prophet (s). Just as Allah made it easy for us, let us strive to make it one of our life’s serious ambitions to not only return to the city of the Prophet (s) but to help all those that have yet to visit the Prophet (s) and particularly all those yet to find him. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
