Voices of Islam (86 page)

It is time for the midday prayer, so we enter. As we wait for the
muezzin
’s second call, I contemplate the hadith cited by Mustafa. By the grace of God, the Prophet had been able to put an end to decades of rancor and armed conflict between Medina’s indigenous Arab clans. Forging an alliance of faith between the Helpers and a diverse group of emigrants, the Messenger had brought nearly the whole of the Arabian Peninsula into the fold of Islam by the time of his death in 632
CE
. However, without his harmonizing presence and God-given authority, the unity of his theocratic state rapidly showed signs of serious fissures. Much of Abu Bakr’s brief rule as first caliph was taken up with repressing bloody secessionist rebellions. Although the dominions of Islam expanded tremendously during the Caliphates of ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, both were murdered. So was ‘Ali, whose five-year reign witnessed almost con- tinual civil strife, in which some of the Prophet’s most eminent companions found themselves on opposing sides. Even the sanctuary of Medina was not immune from this internecine bloodshed. In 683
CE
, in the nearby eastern lava tract, a local group of pious rebels was slaughtered by the army of the Umayyad Caliph, whose Syrian troops plundered the Prophet’s City for three days. By the end of the first Islamic century, political, tribal, ethnic, and theological rifts had given rise to a multitude of endlessly warring factions. How truly and sadly prophetic was the Messenger’s exchange with his Lord at this spot!

The noon prayer briefly unifies the focus and movements of the assembled worshippers, and then each one exits the mosque to go in diverse directions. We continue along the inner ring road, which now curves westward. Just before Mount Sila’ we turn north and descend toward Uhud. A short while later, we turn right and halt at the bottom of a steep hillock. As we hike up

A Spiritual Tour of the Prophet’s City (Medina)
95

the sloping road, Mustafa explains that the mosque we are about to visit is linked to the Battle of the Trench. ‘‘In the spring of 627
CE
, the Meccans again marched against Medina with an allied force of ten thousand warriors, determined to destroy Islam once and for all. The Prophet had received advance warning of the impending attack, and sought counsel on how best to meet the threat. In the end he adopted the innovative proposal of Salman the Persian, to protect Medina’s most vulnerable flank by digging a defensive trench between the two lava tracts to the north of Jabal Sila’.’’

At the top of the prominence, wedged between nondescript houses, we come to the tiny mosque of Masjid al-Raya, Mosque of the Battle Banner. It marks the spot where the Prophet’s campaign tent was erected to enable him to supervise the digging of the trench and its subsequent defense. Passing through a modest courtyard, we enter the diminutive prayer chamber, covered by a single low dome. Here, in what feels like a masonry tent, we offer prayers. As we emerge to return to the car, I ask, ‘‘Isn’t this near the place where the miracle of the rock occurred?’’

‘‘Yes, my brother,’’ Mustafa says. ‘‘Just to the north of this hill a group of diggers encountered a large rock, which they were unable to break or dislodge. When the Prophet was asked for guidance, he descended to the ditch and shattered the stone himself by striking it three times with a pick. At each blow a great bolt of light shot forth, one to the east, one to the north and one to the south. He later said this was an omen that the Muslims would one day conquer Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
42
Though the hypocrites mocked the Messenger for making this prophecy at a time when the Muslims were being threatened by an overwhelmingly superior enemy at their doorstep, it later proved true.’’

Mustafa continues his commentary as we drive around the north of Jabal Sila’: ‘‘The five-kilometer-long ditch had barely been completed when the enemy forces arrived and established their camps to the north. After more than twenty days of relentless siege, the morale, stamina, and even the faith of the thinly stretched lines of defenders began to falter. The desperate condition of the Muslims at this time is described in the Qur’an: ‘When you were being assailed from above and from below, and when your vision failed you, and your hearts were in your throats and you began to think strange thoughts about God, then were the believers put to a trial and shaken to their roots’’’ (Qur’an 73:10–11).

Just then we pull into a broad paved bay on the northwestern fl of Mount Sila’, another site associated with the Battle of the Trench known as the Seven Mosques. Pointing to a whitewashed shrine erected on a rocky spur of the mountain to our left, Mustafa tells me, ‘‘That is The Mosque of Vic- tory, marking the spot where the Prophet implored God for three consecutive days to come to the aid of the Muslims with this supplication: ‘O God! Revealer of the Covenant Scripture, Swift of Reckoning! O God! Vanquish the enemy confederates! O God! Put them to flight and cause them to

96
Voices of the Spirit

tremble!’
43
On the third day, his petition was granted, and he announced that victory was at hand. God then sent troops of angels and a raging gale to wreak havoc upon the camps of the Quraysh and their allies. Terrified and thrown into utter confusion, the assailants soon raised the siege and departed.’’

By means of a steep set of stone steps, we ascend the outcropping to the mosque. Entering a small walled court, we find the vaulted prayer vestibule tightly packed with pilgrims. While we wait for our turn to pray there, Mustafa reveals a secret: ‘‘It is recorded that the Prophet’s entreaty was granted on a Wednesday, between the midday prayers and the afternoon prayers. Ever since then, sincere supplications made at this spot and at this time have been known to be answered by God.’’ Today, I realize,
is
Wednes- day, and
now
is the propitious hour. When we fi manage to secure the necessary space inside, my devotions are charged with exceptional fervor.

Mustafa suggests that we forgo visiting the other mosques, named in honor of several eminent Companions of the Prophet, in order to reach another more important mosque for the mid-afternoon prayer. We backtrack around Jabal Sila’, and eventually fi ourselves on the airport road, where I am sadly reminded of my imminent departure.

We are dropped off near the Mosque of Abu Dharr, named after a Bedouin tribesman famed for his great asceticism. But the shrine has a more ancient name, Masjid al-Sajda, Mosque of the Prostration, whose story Mustafa relates: ‘‘It is reported that the Prophet once walked from his mosque to an enclosed garden here. Unbeknownst to him, one of the Meccan emigrants had followed him and watched as he made his ritual ablution and prayed at this spot. The Messenger remained in the position of the fi prostration for such a long time that his unseen companion feared that God might have taken his soul. Eventually, the Messenger assumed the final kneeling position and completed his devotions. It was then that he noticed he was not alone. His escort told him of the concern he had felt at his protracted prostration, so the Prophet informed him: ‘Verily Gabriel, upon whom be Peace, came to me and communicated to me God’s glad tidings that whoever blesses me, I will bless, and whoever greets you with a benediction, I will greet. And so I prostrated to God the Mighty, the Majestic.’’’
44
We then go in and perform the prayer in honor of the mosque and subsequently join the congregation for mid-afternoon worship. Both rituals include reverential greetings and blessings on the Prophet. I am deeply moved to recall the Divine reciprocity inherent in this act, which constitutes such an important facet of Islamic piety.

Outside, Mustafa recommends that I now return to my hotel to pack my luggage, promising to fetch me for my final sunset meal at the Prophet’s Mosque. Not having rested that afternoon, I am dazed with fatigue, but the spiritual nourishment of the day’s tour has dissipated every thought of the thirst and hunger. Later, I stroll across the great plaza one last time with Mustafa. In the celestial precincts, we break the fast with heavenly dates

A Spiritual Tour of the Prophet’s City (Medina)
97

washed down with water from a sacred well. Then we perform the communal prayer toward the
qibla
wall upon which the Messenger saw a vision of the delights of Paradise and the torments of Hell. I end my devotions with a voluntary prayer, remaining in thankful prostration for a prolonged period. Mustafa then escorts me to the Gate of Mercy, where I turn in the direction of the Noble Chamber and offer a closing salutation to the Prophet. Leading with my left foot, I exit while uttering the traditional prayer, ‘‘O God! Verily I ask of You Your abundant grace.’’

Mustafa walks beside me in the direction of the car. Taking my hand, he says, ‘‘You know the story of how the Prophet, not long after his emigration to Medina (
hijra
), instituted ties of brotherhood between individual e´migre´s and the Helpers.’’ ‘‘Of course,’’ I reply. ‘‘Well, though your emigration has been brief, I regard you as my permanent brother in love for our Prophet and his city.’’

Deeply moved by his words, I tell him, ‘‘You have given me a great gift in the past three days, and I feel I have nothing to give to you in return.’’

‘‘You are wrong,’’ he interjects, ‘‘for your interest in the sacred history and geography of my city has given me hope that Medina’s remaining visitation sites will be preserved and remembered for what they embody of the life and times of our blessed Prophet.’’

At the car, we embrace and exchange final farewells. The journey to the airport takes us across the eastern lava tract beyond Mount Uhud. When we reach the terminal, I thank our driver Ahmed for his faithful service and patience. Inside the departure hall, I check in for my southbound fl to Jeddah, from where I expect to make the long westward trip home. As a departing blessing, I am assigned a window seat.

Once we are airborne, I am offered a dazzling vista of
al-Madina al- Munawwara,
the Luminous City. The most brilliant glow emanates from the
Haram
in the middle of the city. Overfl into the plaza on three sides, I can vaguely discern the massed rows of the faithful engaged in the night vigil prayers. The scene makes me think of the Prophet’s vow: ‘‘By Him in Whose hand is my soul, things will revert to how they began; surely all true faith will return to Medina, just as it began from there, until all true faith will be in Medina.’’
45
It is impossible to escape feelings of profound regret at leaving the Abode of Faith. At the same time, I am filled with immense gratitude. For my sojourn in the Prophet’s City has permitted me to partake of the eternal significance of the
Hijra
Emigration, which is, in essence, an inspired movement away from darkness toward the light.

NOTES

(Ed.) following a note signifies that the note was added by the general editor of this set.

98
Voices of the Spirit

1. For a scholarly but dated review of Arabic sources on Medina, see Jean Sauvaget,
   La Mosque´e Omeyyade de Me´dine
   :
   Etude sur les Origines Architecturales de la Mosque´e et de la Basilique
   (Paris: Vanoest, 1947).
   

2. Dates are provided in Common Era format for general readership. The year 622
   CE
   corresponds to year one of the Muslim Hijra dating system based on a lunar calendar.
   

3. See Daoud Casewit, ‘‘Al-Hijrah Between History and Metaphor: An Analysis of Quranic and Hadith Sources,’’
   The Muslim World
   88, no. 2 (April 1998): 105– 128.
   

4. Muslim Ibn al-Hajjaj,
   Sahih Muslim
   (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiya, 2001), 760, no. 1907; Muhammad Ibn Isma‘il al-Bukhari,
   Sahih al-Bukhari
   (Beirut: al-Maktaba al-‘Asriya, 2002), 15, no. 1.
   

5. Bukhari,
   Sahih,
   20, no. 15; Muslim,
   Sahih,
   41, no. 44.
   

6. Bukhari,
   Sahih,
   207, no. 1189; Muslim,
   Sahih,
   517, no. 1397.
   

7. See Daoud Casewit, ‘‘Fada’il al-Madinah: The Unique Distinctions of the Prophet’s City,’’
   The Islamic Quarterly,
   35, no. 1 (1991): 5–22.
   

8. ‘Abd al-Razzaq Ibn Humam al-Sana‘ani,
   Musnaf,
   ed., ‘Abd al-Rahman al-‘Azami, vol. 3 (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 1970), 515, no. 6531.
   

9. ‘Umar al-Numayri al-Basri Ibn Shabbah,
   Kitab Ta’rikh al-Madina al-Munawwara,
   ed., ‘Ali Muhammad Dandal and Yasir Sa‘d al-Din Bayyan, vol. 1 (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya, 1996), 83; Sulayman Ibn Ahmad al-Tabarani,
   al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat,
   ed., Mahmud al-Tahhan, vol. 2 (Riyadh: Maktaba al-Ma‘arif, 1985), 104.
   

10. Bukhari,
Sahih,
267–268, no. 1534, no. 1535.

1. The tribe of Quraysh, to which the Prophet Muhammad belonged, con- trolled Mecca in the seventh century
   CE
   . During the time of the Prophet’s mission, most of the powerful members of this tribe opposed Islam. The leaders of Quraysh commanded the armies that attempted to attack Medina and destroy the nascent Muslim community. (Ed.)
   

2. For an in-depth study of the historical geography of
   al-‘Aliya
   see Michael Lecker,
   Muslims, Jews and Pagans: Studies in Early Islamic Medina
   (Leiden and New York: E.J. Brill, 1995).
   

3. Ibn Shabbah,
   Ta’rikh,
   167.
   

4. Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdallah al-Nisaburi al-Hakim,
   al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn,
   vol. 5 (Aleppo and Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1978), 560.
   

5. Bukhari,
   Sahih,
   208, no. 1196; Muslim,
   Sahih,
   515, no. 1390.
   

6. Bukhari,
   Sahih,
   207, no. 1190; Muslim,
   Sahih,
   516, no. 1394.
   

7. Author’s translation of the Arabic text from Ahmed Kamal,
   The Sacred Journey
   (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1961), 102.
   

8. Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash‘ath al-Sijistani,
   Sunan,
   vol. 2 (Cairo: Dar al-Hadith, 1988), 224.
   

9. Bukhari,
   Sahih,
   647, no. 3688; Muslim,
   Sahih,
   1017, no. 163.
   

10. Tabarani,
    al-Awsat,
    vol. 1, 475–476.
    

11. Bukhari,
    Sahih,
    208, no. 1196; Muslim,
    Sahih,
    515, no. 1391.
    

    A Spiritual Tour of the Prophet’s City (Medina)
    99
    

12. Bukhari,
    Sahih,
    358, no. 2095; and 630–631, no. 3584; Muhammad Ibn Yazid Ibn Maja,
    Sunan,
    ed., Muhammad Fu’ad ‘Abd al-Baqi (Cairo: ‘Isa al-Halabi, no date), no. 1417.
    

13. Muslim,
    Sahih,
    348, no. 974.
    

14. Tabarani,
    al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir,
    vol. 2 (Baghdad: Dar al-‘Arabiyya, 1978– 1983), 305, no. 13190; Hakim,
    al-Mustadrak,
    vol. 2, 465–466.
    

15. Muhammad Ibn ‘Isa al-Tirmidhi,
    Sunan,
    vol. 5 (Madina: Maktaba al-Salafiya, 1967), 377, no. 4009; Ibn Maja,
    Sunan,
    no. 3112.
    

16. For a fuller account of the battle of Uhud, see Muhammad Hamidullah,
    

    The Battlefields of the Prophet Muhammad
    (New Delhi: Kitab Bhavan, 1992).
    

17. Muhammad ibn ‘Umar al-Waqidi,
    Kitab al-Maghazi,
    ed., Marsden Jones, vol. 1 (London: ‘Alam al-Kutub, 1966), 262; ‘Abd al-Malik Ibn Hisham,
    al-Sira al-Nabawiya,
    ed., Taha ‘Abd al-Ra’uf Sa‘d, vol. 3 (Beirut: Dar al-Jil, 1987), 35.
    

18. Ibn Hisham,
    al-Sira,
    34.
    

19. Muslim,
    Sahih,
    1129, no. 2943.
    

20. Ibn Maja,
    Sunan,
    no. 1412; Ibn Shabbah,
    Ta’rikh,
    41–42.
    

21. Bukhari,
    Sahih,
    1065, no. 5866; Muslim,
    Sahih,
    832, no. 54, 55; Muhammad Ibn Sa‘d,
    al-Tabaqat al-Kubra,
    vol. 1 (Beirut: Dar Beirut, 1985), 476.
    

22. Muslim,
    Sahih,
    512, no. 1377; Malik Ibn Anas,
    al-Muwatta’,
    vol. 2 (Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-‘Ulum, 1988), 885.
    

23. Ibn Maja,
    Sunan,
    no. 227; Hakim,
    al-Mustadrak,
    vol. 1, 91.
    

24. ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad Ibn Farhun,
    Ta’rikh al-Madina al-Munawwara,
    

    ed., Husayn Muhammad ‘Ali Shukri (Beirut: Dar al-Arqam, 2001), 29–30.
    

25. Bukhari,
    Sahih,
    179, no. 1013; Muslim,
    Sahih,
    320, no. 8.
    

26. Ahmad Ibn Hanbal,
    Musnad,
    vol. 5 (Beirut: Dar Sadir and Maktab al-Islami, 1954), 309.
    

27. Tirmidhi,
    Sunan,
    vol. 4, 401, no. 2068; Ibn Maja,
    Sunan,
    no. 3453, 3455.
    

28. Ibn Sa‘d,
    al-Tabaqat,
    vol. 1, 241–243.
    

29. Ibn Hisham,
    al-Sira,
    109.
    

30. Ibn Shabbah,
    Ta’rikh,
    65, 69.
    

31. Muslim,
    Sahih,
    1107, no. 2890; Ibn Shabbah,
    Ta’rikh,
    68.
    

32. Ibn Sa‘d,
    al-Tabaqat,
    vol. 4, 83–84; Waqidi,
    al-Maghazi,
    vol. 2, 449–550.
    

33. Bukhari,
    Sahih,
    720, no. 4116; Ibn Shabbah,
    Ta’rikh,
    58–50.
    

34. Ibn Hanbal,
    Musnad,
    vol. 3, 130, and 129; Hakim,
    al-Mustadrak,
    vol. 1, 222.
    

35. Hakim,
    al-Mustadrak,
    vol. 4, 454; Ahmad b. al-Husayn al-Bayhaqi,
    Dala’il al-Nubuwwa wa ma‘rifa ahwal Sahib al-Shari‘a,
    ed., ‘Abd al-Mu‘ti Amin Qal‘aji, vol. 6 (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiya, 1985), 330–331.