Medina; the City of Apostle

Medina is located at an elevation between two mountains and on the three sides of the city i.e. towards the east, west and south, dormant volcanic mountains are lying. Climate of Medina is pleasant and it receives more rains than other parts of Arabia.

When Holy Prophet riding Aswan, she-camel entered Medina, the people of Medina welcomed him warmly and held the rein of the camel and wanted to be his host. Holy Prophet seeing their enthusiasm told them to let the camel go wherever it may go. It would go where God would will it to go and he would stay where God would take that camel.

The camel toured through many streets of Medina and entered the Al-Ajar Avenue. All the Muslims of Medina were keenly following the she-camel of the Holy Prophet as to where it would stay. The she-camel strolled there for some time and finally it entered an empty piece of land. After entering into that area, the camel took few steps and then stopped there and knelt down to sit. The place where Aswan had sat was used for drying the dates and there wasn't any house. The only nearby house belonged to Abu Aye. Upon inquiry people told Holy Prophet that that piece of land belonged to two orphan children. Holy Prophet purchased that land from them paying more than the market price to those children. And the very next day after his arrival in Medina he started construction of a mosque on that land with the help of the Muslims of Medina.

All the male Muslims including the Holy Prophet took part in its construction and carried stones, earth, water and timber. It took them seven months to erect the structure of the Mosque. Qibla of that mosque was towards the Sacred Mosque of Jerusalem.

A large platform was also built for those migrants of Makka who had no place to live. This place is still known as Suffer and the Muslims who lived there are known as Ahl-e-Suffa (Resident Of Suffa).

Holy Prophet suggested to Ansar (the local Muslims of Medina) to have Fraternal Relation with Muhajir (emigrants from Makka) and help them in earning their livelihood and provide them shelter in their houses. Ansar extended this help and accommodated 186 Muslims from Makka.

"And, those who had faith and let their homes for the sake of God and those who helped them and accommodated them, they are the faithful: they have been forgiven and would enjoy bounties of honor." (Quran}

Jews of Medina expressed their displeasure over Holy Prophet's coming there and decided to take side with Quraish. When the unbelievers of Makka saw that Holy Prophet had gone out of their reach they opted to use economic tactics against Muslims and started controlling the trade links in the north. They controlled the trade links in such a manner that no item of necessity could reach Medina.

Holy Prophet was upset on this economic strangulation of Median because he realized that all that was happening was due to the animosity of Quraish who were punishing the entire population of the city because of him.