رہنما

Visiting مدینہ منورہ is not a pillar or requirement of حج, but it is highly مستحب (mustahab) and deeply rewarding. Most حاجی itineraries include 3-7 days in مدینہ منورہ either before or after the حج days in مکہ مکرمہ. There is no احرام required for visiting مدینہ منورہ, and no specific rituals beyond the مستحب نمازs and visits. نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said, 'Do not set out on a journey except for three مسجدs: al-مسجد الحرام, the مسجد of Allah's Messenger, and al-Masjid al-Aqsa' (Bukhari and Muslim). He also said, 'A نماز in my مسجد is better than a thousand نمازs elsewhere, except al-مسجد الحرام' (Bukhari).

Masjid al-Nabawi is the second holiest مسجد in Islam, originally built by نبی کریم Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) upon his arrival in مدینہ منورہ in 622 CE. The current مسجد is a vast, magnificent structure that has been expanded multiple times, most recently by the Saudi government to accommodate over one million worshippers. Its iconic green dome marks the location of نبی کریم's burial chamber. The مسجد is open 24 hours and features air-conditioned نماز halls, the famous retractable umbrella canopies in the courtyard, and multi-level نماز areas. Pilgrims should pray in the مسجد as much as possible during their stay, as each نماز carries the reward of 1,000 نمازs elsewhere.

The Rawdah (lit. 'garden') is the area between نبی کریم's pulpit (minbar) and his burial chamber, which he described as 'one of the gardens of Paradise' (Bukhari). It is distinguished by its green carpeting (versus the مسجد's red carpeting elsewhere). Due to its small size and immense demand, access to the Rawdah is managed through timed appointments, especially during حج and عمرہ seasons. Praying in the Rawdah is highly sought after but not واجب. نبی کریم's grave, along with the graves of Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab, is located within the مسجد behind a protective screen. Pilgrims may send greetings (salam) to نبی کریم when passing the grave, following the etiquette taught by the scholars.

مدینہ منورہ offers numerous sites of historical and spiritual significance. Masjid Quba, approximately 5 kilometers south of نبی کریم's Mosque, was the first مسجد built in Islam, and نبی کریم said that praying there is equivalent to performing عمرہ (Tirmidhi). Mount Uhud, the site of the Battle of Uhud (625 CE), is located 5 kilometers north of the city center. Al-Baqi cemetery, adjacent to نبی کریم's Mosque, contains the graves of many companions, family members of نبی کریم, and scholars. Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Mosque of the Two Qiblas) is where the command to change the نماز direction from Jerusalem to مکہ مکرمہ was received. The Seven Mosques area marks positions associated with the Battle of the Trench (Khandaq).