16th Aug 2011 - - - 8.34am
Before we saw the mountain from the mountains of paradise and prayed in masjid Quba, we headed to the Salman al Farsi date gardens. Salman al Farsi became a companion of the Prophet pbuh when he went out in search for the truth from his hometown now in modern day Isfahan, Iran. He was seeking his Lord and in his travels heard about the coming of a Prophet. He was told he would have certain signs of which included the accepting and eating of gifts over charity and of course the seal of the Prophets [a mark between the shoulder blades of the Prophet pbuh]. His travels led him to Madinah where he worked for a Jewish man as he heard of the coming of Prophet Muhammad pbuh on his migration from Makkah to Madinah. Salman al Farsi accepted Islam and was released from his Jewish slave-owner by the Prophet himself who planted an agreed number of date palms to secure his manumission. In the gardens we came across many different variety of dates, I can only describe them to you. There were the average brown ones in so many different shades, orange/yellow ones, red tomato like ones, black ajwa ones - the most expensive of them all - and so many more!
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| Masjid Quba |
It was starting to get hot now, back in the coach, the temperature now read 38 degrees Celsius. We were headed now towards Masjid Quba - to fulfill a sunnah - a prophetic tradition and receive a blessing and reward of an umrah. The prophet pbuh had said
“Whoever purifies himself in his house, then comes to the Mosque of Quba’ and prays there, he will have the reward of ‘Umrah.” [ibn majah] My dad told me this was the first mosque and of the oldest mosques of which the foundations were laid by the Prophet pbuh himself. This was the place his camel had sat upon his arrival and migration to the blessed town of Madina. A truly serene place which words fail to describe...
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| Mount Uhd - the mountain from Paradise |
And we were off again, the temperature now read 40 degrees Celsius - of course we couldn't quite feel this heat in the very cool air-conditioned coach. On our way to Mount Uhd we passed Masjid al Jumu'ah or the Friday Mosque. This was were the first Jumm'ah was performed. We passed by Madinah University which comprises of 8000 students from 180 different countries all over the world!
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| Graveyard at Mt Uhd. |
We were there. Mount Uhd. This is were the second battle took place, the first being Badr. A mountain from the mountains of jannah. The mountain itself wasn't very large at all, certainly one could climb it but of course in this temperature of 42 degrees - whilst fasting, I wouldn't dare! The devastation of this battle was the killing of the Prophet's Uncle Hamza by the slave Wahsh on the orders of Hind. The prophet pbuh was so distraught by this tragedy and death of his beloved uncle, that he wanted revenge. Allah swt, the most gracious, the most merciful, sent revelation of sabr-patience. The sheikh pointed out where the arches had stood in this battle protecting the Prophet pbuh but at the thought of victory upon them they ceased to stand their ground, and Khalid bin Waleed who had not converted to Islam then, devised the plan of attacking from that point. At the foothills of the mountain the battle had taken place killing approximately 70 companions. A large graveyard stands there now with large signs in many different language reminding one of the etiquette when visiting the dead. The Prophet pbuh would visit Mount Uhd regularly and had declared 'This mountain loves us and we love it.' [Muslim].
Before we saw the mountain from the mountains of paradise and prayed in masjid Quba, we headed to the Salman al Farsi date gardens. Salman al Farsi became a companion of the Prophet pbuh when he went out in search for the truth from his hometown now in modern day Isfahan, Iran. He was seeking his Lord and in his travels heard about the coming of a Prophet. He was told he would have certain signs of which included the accepting and eating of gifts over charity and of course the seal of the Prophets [a mark between the shoulder blades of the Prophet pbuh]. His travels led him to Madinah where he worked for a Jewish man as he heard of the coming of Prophet Muhammad pbuh on his migration from Makkah to Madinah. Salman al Farsi accepted Islam and was released from his Jewish slave-owner by the Prophet himself who planted an agreed number of date palms to secure his manumission. In the gardens we came across many different variety of dates, I can only describe them to you. There were the average brown ones in so many different shades, orange/yellow ones, red tomato like ones, black ajwa ones - the most expensive of them all - and so many more!
It was starting to get hot now, back in the coach, the temperature now read 38 degrees Celsius. We were headed now towards Masjid Quba - to fulfill a sunnah - a prophetic tradition and receive a blessing and reward of an umrah. The prophet pbuh had said “Whoever purifies himself in his house, then comes to the Mosque of Quba’ and prays there, he will have the reward of ‘Umrah.” [ibn majah] My dad told me this was the first mosque and of the oldest mosques of which the foundations were laid by the Prophet pbuh himself. This was the place his camel had sat upon his arrival and migration to the blessed town of Madina. A truly serene place which words fail to describe...
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