By Sheikh Abdul-Muhsin ibn Muhammad al-Qasim – 13 Safar 1436

His Eminence Sheikh Abdul-Muhsin ibn Muhammad al-Qasim, may Allah preserve him, delivered the Friday Khutbah entitled, “Al-Madinah: Its Virtues and Visiting Etiquette”, in which he talked about the merits of al-Madinah, the city of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as stated in authenticated hadiths. He also shed light on the virtue of the Prophetic Mosque along with the main landmarks of al-Madinah.

Praise be to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our wrong deeds. He whom Allah guides, none can misguide, and he whom Allah sends astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May Allah bestow his bountiful peace and blessings upon him and upon his family and Companions.

Now then,
Fear Allah as He should be feared, and be mindful of Him in secret and in your private conversations.

O Muslims!
One sign of Allah’s perfect wisdom and knowledge that demonstrates His Lordship and Oneness is that He has chosen His messengers, angels, and righteous servants. He has no partners who can create the like of His creation or choose the like of His choice.Allah, Glorified be He, says:

“And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses: no choice have they (in any matter). Glorified be Allah, and exalted above all that they associate (as partners with Him).” (Al-Qasas: 68)

In His infinite wisdom, Allah, Glorified be He, has favoured some days and months over others; and by His Knowledge, He has chosen some places and blessed them. He has chosen Makkah to be city of His Sacred Mosque and the Holy Land of Jerusalem to be the city of al-Aqsa Mosque. He has also honoured al-Madinah, the city of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and favoured it with special virtues that are unique to it.It has been given numerous names due to its honoured status. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, named it “al-Madinah” (the City), “Taibah” (the Good and Pure), and “Tabah” (the Pleasant). Allah describes it as “the home” and “the faith” for believers:

“And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith …” (Al-Hashr: 9)

It was to al-Madinah that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, migrated, and it was from there that he made his Victorious Return to Makkah and that conquests of other countries were launched.It was from al-Madinah that the Sunnah spread to all other countries. It was the homeland of Islam in its beginnings. Faith will come back to it just as it first emerged from it. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Faith will resort to al-Madinah just as a snake resorts to its hole”(Agreed upon).

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, described it as a city that can overpower other cities.The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I have been commanded [to migrate] to a town that can devour other towns (that is, prevail over them). They call it Yathrib, and its name is [in fact] al-Madinah” (Agreed upon). It is a city that wipes out sins and wrong deeds.The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “It is Taibah (the Good and Pure); it purifies one from sins just as fire cleans silver from impurities” (Reported by al-Bukhari). It also expels wicked people out of it. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “It expels people [i.e. the wicked people] out of it, just as bellows remove the impurities of iron”(Agreed upon). The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, likened its cleansing power to that of bellows. He also said,“Al- Madinah is like bellows: It expels its impurities”(Agreed upon).

Allah has made it a safe city, so that the religion may spread from it and the rites of Islam may be established in it. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “It is a safe sanctuary” (Reported by Muslim). Whoever harbours evil intentions towards the city of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, will certainly be destroyed by Allah. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If anyone intends to do harm to this city, Allah will dissolve him as salt dissolves in water” (Reported by Ahmad). If anyone plots against its people, Allah will destroy him without delay. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “None plots against the people of al-Madinah but he will dissolve as salt dissolves in water”(Reported by al-Bukhari). Allah threatens whoever intends to do harm to its people with a painful torment in Hellfire.The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “None intends harm against the people of al-Madinah but Allah will make him melt like lead or dissolve as salt dissolves in water”(Reported by Muslim). If anyone seeks to terrify its people, Allah will make him feel terrified and will curse him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If anyone unjustly frightens the people of al-Madinah, Allah will make him feel frightened; the Curse of Allah, His angels, and all mankind will fall upon him; and Allah will not accept from him any obligatory or supererogatory act of worship”(Reported by an-Nasa’i).

Because of its distinguished status, Allah has made it a sanctuary, just like Makkah. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Ibrahim [Prophet Abraham] made Makkah a sanctuary and I have made al-Madinah a sanctuary” (Reported by Muslim). No weapon may be raised in it, and no blood may be shed in it except for implementing the law of equality in punishment (qisas) or enforcing prescribed legal penalties (hudud). It is also strictly forbidden to kill its game or cut down its trees. If anyone introduces any innovation in religion in al-Madinah or harbours a criminal in it, the curse of Allah will rest upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If anyone introduces any innovation in religion in al-Madinah or harbours an innovator in religion in it, then the Curse of Allah, His angels, and all mankind will fall upon him, and Allah will not accept from him any obligatory or supererogatory act of worship on the Day of Resurrection” (Agreed upon).

It has reached the utmost degree of safety, for all its roads are guarded by angels. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “On every mountain path leading to it, there are angels safeguarding it”(Agreed upon). Its ravines are also guarded by angels. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, there is no ravine or mountain path in al-Medina but it is guarded by two angels.” It is virtually protected by angels from all sides. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “When ad-Dajjal (the False Messiah) comes to al-Madinah, he will find it guarded by angels”(Reported by al-Bukhari). Commenting on this hadith, an-Nawawi, may Allah’s mercy be on his soul, said, “It indicates the large number of the guarding angels who will cover all mountain paths.” It is safeguarded against ad-Dajjal. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also said, “When ad-Dajjal comes, it will be forbidden for him to enter the paths of al-Madinah”(Reported by al-Bukhari).

When people hear of ad-Dajjal, they will panic and flee from him to the mountains. The people of al-Madinah, however, will not feel the fear caused by ad-Dajjal. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The terror of al-Masih ad-Dajjal (the False Messiah) will not enter al-Madinah”(Reported by al-Bukhari).

Allah has protectedal-Madinah from plagues. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are angels guarding the mountain paths of al-Madinah, so that neither plagues nor ad-Dajjal can enter it” (Agreed upon). The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed to Allah to protect it from any epidemic. He said, “O Allah! Grant it safety!”(Reported by Ahmad).Ibn Hajar, may Allah’s mercy be upon him, said, “[Thanks to the Prophet’s supplication], al-Madinah became the healthiest of all cities after it had not been so.”

Living in al-Madinah is better than living in any other place even if it provides a prosperous life of plenty and opulence. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There will come a time upon the people of al-Madinah when a man will invite his cousin and anyone of his kin saying, “Let’s go to prosperity! Let’s go to prosperity! But al- Madinah will be better for them, if they but knew”(Reported by Muslim).

Because of its good and pure nature, its believing inhabitants are purified. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The good among its inhabitants are purified” (Reported by al-Bukhari). Similarly, the good deeds done in al-Madinah are purified and appear on all horizons. In addition, a Muslim who patiently endures hardships in it will attain the intercession the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or his testimony in his favour. If someone dies in it while he is a true believer, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, will intercede for him on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If any of you has the choice to die in al-Madinah, let him die there; for I will intercede for him or bear witness in his favour [on the Day of Judgement]” (Reported by an-Nasa’i).

It has become a blessed city by virtue of the supplication of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Al-Madinah is even twice as blessed as Makkah. For the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, supplicated to Allah to grant two blessings together with each blessing in al-Madinah. He said, “O Allah! Let there be two blessings with each blessing.”Its food and drinks are also blessed. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, supplicated his Lord, saying, “O Allah! Bless our sa’. O Allah! Bless our mudd (Sa’ and muddbeing units of dry food measure)”(Reported by Muslim). An- Nawawi, may Allah’s mercy be onhis soul, said, “It seems that the blessing has encompassed the unit of measure itself so much so that the mudd has come to satisfy the needs of more people in al-Madinah than it does elsewhere. This is something that its inhabitants can feel.” Its fruits are also blessed. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, supplicated his Lord, saying, “O Allah! Bless our fruit!” (Reported by Muslim). The ‘ajwah dates grown in al-Madinah highlands are a cure. Those which are not from the highlands provide protection against poison and magic. All other types of dates grown in it, apart from ‘Ajwah, provide protection against poison, by Allah’s leave.

In al-Madinah, there is the Mosque of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, the first mosque to be founded upon piety. It is one of the three mosques that were built by Allah’s prophets, peace be upon them, and to which journeys may be made. Offering one prayer in this mosque is better that offering one thousand prayers in any other mosque, with the exception of the Sacred Mosque in Makkah.As an-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said, “This applies to both obligatory and supererogatory prayers, though it is preferable to perform supererogatory prayers at home.”

The pulpit of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, will be on his cistern on the Day of Judgement. “If anyone swears a false oath by his pulpit, then let him take his seat in Hellfire” (Reported by Ibn Majah).Between the house of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his pulpit, lies one of the gardens of Paradise. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,“The space between my house and my pulpit is one of the gardens of Paradise”(Agreed upon). Commenting on this Hadith, Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said, “That is, it is similar to the gardens of Paradise in that mercy descends upon those who attend circles of remembrance Allah in it and joy overwhelms them there, especially during the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.” Praying in congregation in the first rows is better than praying in the last rows. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The best row for men is the first one, and the worst row [for men]is the last one”(Reported by al-Bukhari).

In al-Madinah there is also the Quba’ Mosque – a mosque that was founded on piety from the very first day. The prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to visit it every Saturday whether riding or on foot. He said, “Whoever performs ablution (wudu’) at home and then goes to the Quba’ Mosque and performs a prayer there will be granted the reward of performing ‘umrah”(Reported by Ibn Majah).

Also located in al-Madinah is Mount Uhud, which loves Muslims and is loved by them. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “This is a mountain which loves us and which we love”(Agreed upon). An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said, “Mount Uhud truly loves us, for Allahhas endowed it with a special quality whereby it is able to love. We love it from the heart, without believing that there is blessing in it.” The al-‘Aqiq Valley there is a blessed valley. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Tonight, a messenger (i.e. Angel Jibril (Gabriel), peace be upon him) from my Lord came to me and said, ‘Pray in this blessed valley and say, “I intend to perform ‘umrahtogether with a hajj”’”(Reported by al-Bukhari). Even though it is a blessed valley, no one should ask it for bringing benefit or warding off harm.

Due to the great merit of al-Madinah, the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, loved it so dearly and supplicated Allah to make his love for it equal to, or even greater than, his love for Makkah. He said in his supplication, “O Allah! Make us love al-Madinah as much as we love Makkah or even more”(Reported by al-Bukhari). Whenever he returned to it from a journey and saw its houses, he would increase his pace for it, out of love for it. Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said “Each believer feels an inner drive to visit al-Madinah because of his love for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.”I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Devil:

“… “Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him.” A fair land and an Oft-Forgiving Lord.” (Saba’: 15)

May Allah bless you and me with the Great Qur’an and make us benefit from its verses and wise words. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah for myself, for you, and for all Muslims, for any sin that we have committed. Ask Allah for forgiveness. He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.