One day, my father announced something exciting to us: "We're going to Madinah." This was a big deal for me because Madinah was going to be our new adventure. Another excitement like how it was when I first heard Makkah. I was just a kid of 10 back then and didn't really know much about the place we were going to.
We weren't going on this journey alone. With us was one of my dad's close friends, Muhammad Ali, who was also a civil engineer like my dad. We were then small enough to fit into the back seat of my father's Toyota Corolla. Madinah was far away, about 450 kilometers from Makkah. I remember we started our journey in the evening and most of it happened at night. We took breaks and rested during our trip, and by early dawn, we were in the city of Madinah.
Madinah was like a fairy tale city to me. There were old buildings that looked like they had stories to tell, and everywhere you looked, there were tall date palm trees and pretty gardens. Masjidul Nabwi then was small in size. King Fahad's expansion of what is now multiple times fold was not yet started. Also none of the new style buildings we see in the surroundings today were not there. There were large sheeted prayer areas outside of Bab Salam gate as additional. Just like Masjidul Haram in Makkah, Masjid Nabwi in those days had no separated and covered areas for women but had their places behind men. The buildings were quite old and some areas of Madeena still had that ancient look. Immediately outside the Mosque were small shops called 'Bastha', where all kinds of items were sold. Especially, electronics, toys, Quran cassettes, Tasbeeh, etc. What fascinated me surely were some of the electronics and toys.
As soon as we entered the city, we saw something amazing - Masjid Quba. It was a special mosque because it was the very first one in Islamic history. Unlike Makkah, where the weather could be really hot, Madinah had a nice and comfortable climate. The people here were different too. They were always calm, kind, and polite, unlike the busy life in Makkah. They remind us of the Ansars, the Helpers of Islam, who were known for their goodness and giving out to others.
We entered the Masjid Nabawi first through a gate called Babul Salam. It felt important and special. We even prayed the Fajr prayer there for the first time. After that, we visited the Rawdah Shareef and stood in lanes to say our Salams to Beloved ﷺ. Even though many people came here to convey their Salaam, there was a peaceful quietness that surrounded the place. Masjidul Nabwi always kept that silence and tranquility.
The next day, our journey continued to Uhud. This was a place with a brave history, where heroes like Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) were laid to rest after the Battle of Uhud. We visited other holy sites too, each with its own story. In Khandaq, we found seven small mosques lined up in rows. We entered and visited each one of them. And then, we arrived at Masjid Qiblathine. This mosque had a special story - it's where in the early days of Madeena, Prophet ﷺ used to pray facing a different direction, towards Jerusalem. Then, by Allah's command, he turned to face the Holy Kaaba in Makkah.
Our time in Madinah lasted for three days, filled with wonder and reflection. Then we left back to Makkah to continue our explorations.
