BAITULMAQDIS UMRAH CHAPTER 15: In love with Madinah

14, 15 December 2016

Madinah has always been special to me and I cannot wait to spend the next few days here. The days go by too fast so I do my best to appreciate every moment here. Just a few months ago, walking was impossible for me but I really wanted to make it here. With Allah’s will, He healed me and here I am. Truly, being here is a dua came true.

Morning breakfast after Subuh prayers with the parents.

Mornings here. The air is fresh and birds are flying in the clear sky.

No chilling after Subuh prayers today as we are scheduled to visit the Quba mosque in the late morning. Happy morning faces in the bus with the bestie and her mum.

We are here! The crowd, mashaAllah, it was crazy. We had to squeeze our way in and quickly look for a space to do our short prayers. According to Hadith traditions, the one who offers two rakaat prayer in the Quba Mosque earns reward equal to one Umrah.

A little history about Quba mosque here.

Can’t believe I am here again at the mosque I have been reading about in history books, truly alhamdulilah. Why is this mosque so special? Quba Mosque, was the first mosque in the history of Islam.

During the migration from Mecca to Medina, while the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions rested at Quba, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) laid the foundation of the mosque, and himself took part in the construction of this mosque with his companions.

Since it was so crowded, we could only take a photo with it from afar.

Our next stop. Mount Uhud.

Mount Uhud relates to the famous historic Battle of Uhud that took place near this mountain and in which the polytheists emerged victorious. This was because of the mistake that was committed by the Muslim archers, as they disobeyed the orders of the Prophet who ordered them to stay on the mountain to protect the backs of the fighters. However, they descended as they thought that the battle was over and the backs of the fighters were exposed and the polytheists killed many Muslims.

We read history because there is just so much to learn from it. Sirah was my favourite subject in school and being here to see the place in history with my own eyes is an amazing experience.

Back here at Nabawi Mosque to perform Zohor prayers…….

……and for maghrib prayers……………

………… and finally for Ishak for the day.

When people ask what do we do in Madinah, my answer is we do prayers and then our other schedule revolves around it. This is so different back home where our 5 daily prayers revolves around our daily schedule. Here, we head to the mosque 30 mins or an hour earlier to do all the sunnah prayers, zikr and read the Quran while waiting for the azan. Doing prayers is a priority here.

Wish I can practice the same prioritisation back home. We lead such busy lives and I hate that sometimes our prayers gotta wait for our ‘free’ time. I sometimes fail to prioritise it.

May Allah swt forgives our shortcomings and continues to guide us to His light, inshaAllah. Leaving peaceful Madinah tommorrow to head to Mecca. Can’t wait.