Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Virtues and Etiquettes of Staying in Madīnah Munawwarah

12 Madanī pearls

1.      Make Du'ā near the blessed Mimbar (i.e. a pulpit-like raised structure).

2.      Come to the orchard of Paradise and offer two Rak'āt Nafl Ṣalāh over there provided the time is not Makrūh. Make Du'ā afterwards. (The space between the blessed Mimbar and the sacred Ḥujrah [i.e. blessed room of the Holy Prophet ] is referred to as an orchard of Paradise in a Ḥadīš.)

3.      Do not waste even a single moment for as long as you are blessed with the stay in Madīna-tul-Munawwarah.

4.      If possible, spend most of your time in Masjid-un-Nabawī in the state of cleanness, offering Ṣalāh, reciting the Quran and Ṣalāt-'Alan-Nabī and making Zikr. Worldly conversation should be avoided in any Masjid, especially in this Holy Masjid.

5.      How wonderful it would be for you to be blessed with keeping a fast in Madīna-tul-Munawwarah, especially on a hot summer day as intercession is promised to the one doing so!

6.      Every good deed performed here is equivalent to fifty thousand good deeds. Therefore, make strenuous efforts to perform worship. Do reduce your intake. As long as possible, give charity especially to the deserving locals.

7.      Recite the entire Quran at least once here and once in the Ḥaṭīm of the Holy Ka'bah.

8.      As it is an act of worship to look at the Holy Ka'bah and the Holy Quran, it is also an act of worship to look at the blessed mausoleum. Therefore, reap its blessings reverently in abundance and present Ṣalāt and Salām.

9.      After the daily five Ṣalāhs or every morning and evening, present yourself in front of the Golden Grilles in the direction of the blessed face of the Holy Prophet and present Salām.

10.  Whether you are in the city or in suburbs, whenever you see the Green Dome, turn towards it immediately and recite Ṣalāt and Salām with hands folded respectfully. Do not proceed without doing it as this is contrary to manners.

11.  As long as possible, try to offer Ṣalāh in the very first Masjid made in the era of the Holy Prophet . Its length and width were 50 yards each. The very first Masjid was extended later on. To offer Ṣalāh in the extended area of the Masjid is also like offering Ṣalāh in Masjid-un-Nabawī.

12.  Do not do Ṭawāf [i.e. move around] the blessed mausoleum. Neither prostrate yourself nor bow down like Rukū'. The reverence for the Holy Prophet lies in obeying him.

(Derived from Bahār-e-Sharī'at, vol. 1, pp. 1227-1228)

Recite near Golden Grille

If anyone recites the Quranic verse

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ وَمَلٰٓئِكَتَهٗ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَى النَّبِیّ ۔ يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا صَلُّوْا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِيْمًا

standing in front of the sacred grave of the Beloved and Blessed Prophet and then recites صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ وَسَلَّمَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ 70 times, an angel replies saying, 'O so and so person! May Allah send Ṣalāt and Salām upon you!' The angel then makes Du'ā for that person, 'O Allah , fulfill his every need.'

(Al-Mawāhib-ul-Ladunniyah, vol. 3, pp. 412)

Don't turn your back towards Golden Grille for Du'ā

Whenever you get the privilege of being present in front of the Golden Grille, do not look here and there; looking inside the Grille is a great daring. With back towards the Qiblah, stand two yards away from the Grille and say Salām whilst facing towards the sacred Muwājahah. Make Du'ā also whilst facing the Golden Grille. There are certain people over there who insist that you face the Qiblah to make Du'ā. Do not listen to them. Never turn your back towards the Noble Prophet who is the Ka'bah of the Ka'bah!

Ka'bah kī 'aẓmataun kā munkir nahīn hūn laykin
Ka'bah kā bhī hay Ka'bah mīṭhay Nabī kā rauḍah

I do not deny the sanctity of the Ka'bah
But the blessed Rauḍah is the Ka'bah of Ka'bah

(Wasāil-e-Bakhshish, pp. 298)

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبْ          صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Reward of fifty thousand I'tikāf

Whenever you enter the blessed Masjid, do not forget to make the intention of I'tikāf. By doing this, you will get the reward of fifty thousand Nafl I'tikāf. In addition, it will also become permissible to eat, drink and do Ifṭār within the Masjid. The intention for I'tikāf is as follows:

نَوَيْتُ سُنَّتَ الْاِعْتِکَافِ

I make the intention of Sunnah I'tikāf¹.

Reward of five Hajj daily

One should offer a minimum of 40 Ṣalāh in Masjid-un-Nabawī. In fact, offer all your Farḍ Ṣalāh in this blessed Masjid. The Beloved and Blessed Prophet has stated, 'Whoever makes Wuḍū and leaves with the intention of performing his Ṣalāh in my Masjid, will receive the reward of one Hajj.'

(Shu'ab-ul-Īmān, vol. 3, pp. 499, Ḥadīš 4191)

Say Salām orally

Say memorized Salām orally in the court of the Noble Prophet as it seems rather strange to say Salām and make Du'ā there reading from a book. The Prophet of mankind, the Peace of our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind is resting in his sacred grave facing the Qiblah with complete physical life, and is fully aware of even our heart-feelings. Therefore, it does not seem appropriate to say Salām reading from a book.

Look at it in this way. If you are present in the court of your Murshid (i.e. spiritual guide), will you say Salām to him reading from a book? Certainly not! In fact, you would say Salām with the words that come to your mind spontaneously. I hope that you may have understood my point. Remember that is this that honourable court where hearts are looked at, not expressions.

¹ If you enter the blessed Masjid from either Bāb-us-Salām or Bāb-ur-Raḥmah, you will find a pillar in front of you on which the intention for I'tikāf is inscribed in gold letters.

Old woman blessed with grand vision

During my (the author's) visit to Madīnah in 1405 AH, the late Ḥājī Ismā'īl, a spiritual brother of mine, told me the following parable. Almost two or three years back, an 85-year-old woman came to perform Hajj. During her visit to Madīnah, whilst she was present in front of the Golden Grille, she made Salām to the Beloved and Blessed Prophet in her broken words. Meanwhile, she caught sight of a lady reciting Ṣalāt and Salām in extremely eloquent words reading from a book.

Dejected, the old woman said, 'Yā Rasūlallāh ! I am not an educated person, and cannot make Salām in excellent and eloquent words. You are great and glorious. You will be accepting the Salām of only those who make Salām in your court in an excellent manner. How can I expect you to like the Salām of mine, an uneducated person?' She then left weeping.

When she went to sleep at night, her sleeping fortune awoke, blessing her with the vision of the Holy Prophet in her dream. The blessed lips of the Beloved Prophet began to move and the following words were uttered, 'Why are you getting disappointed? I have accepted your Salām before everyone else's.'

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبْ          صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

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