The rights of Madinah’s Ḥaram
Kalimullah Chishti Attari (Sixth year student at Jamiat al-Madinah, Faizan-i-Faruq-i-Azam, Lahore)
Just as Madinah harbours a rank of immense grandiosity, its Ḥaram also bears profuse excellences. This is found in Madinah itself and is an area declared sanctified by the Greatest Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. A hadith mentions, “Madīnah is a Ḥaram from Mount ꜤAyr to Mount Thawr.”[1]
One must preserve and uphold the rights of said Ḥaram. Otherwise, the slightest shortcoming can lead to great loss. Let us look at some rights held by this noble sanctuary.
1. The prohibition of deforestation
Within the boundaries of Madinah’s Ḥaram, one must avoid cutting down trees and other greenery, due to the sanctity afforded to a Ḥaram in general. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Madinah is a Ḥaram from here to there, so do not cut its trees.”
2. Patience
As Madinah is a city of blessings and mercy, one experiences feelings of heartfelt peace and serenity therein. Whenever tests or worries present themselves there, and one shows patience upon them, he earns glad tidings of immense reward.
The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم declared, “Whoever of my ummah remains patient upon Madinah’s difficulties and severities, I shall intercede for him on the Day of Judgement.”[2]
3. Avoiding fault-finding
Everything in Madinah is exquisite, high quality, and worthy of respect. There is not even the thought of anything within it containing flaw. If due to his own nature or personal choice, one does not like anything therein, he must refrain from speaking ill of it or finding faults. Instead, he should attribute this to his own eyes being unable to see reality and a shortcoming in his intellect. Otherwise, one may face immense punishment.
Imam Mālik رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه issued a fatwa describing how anybody who speaks ill of Madinah’s soil is to be whipped thirty times and placed in imprisonment.[3]
4. Refraining from causing harm
Another right of Madinah’s Ḥaram is to show love and good character to those who live there. Let alone causing them harm, one must not even think to do so. Regarding those who harbour ill intentions in this fashion, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Allah shall melt them the way salt dissolves in water.”[4]
5. Not referring to Madinah as Yathrib
It is not permissible to refer to Madinah as Yathrib, as the latter does not befit the majesty of the former. A Hadith announces, “Whoever refers to Madinah as Yathrib should repent to Allah, as Madinah is Ṭābah; it is Ṭābah!”[5]
Madinah’s Ḥaram has a host of other rights and prescribed etiquettes. When one is there, he must save himself from triviality, keep his voice appropriately low, continuously recite ṣalāt upon the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and not take up stay for an extended period. If possible, one must enter the Ḥaram walking, with tears in his eyes, head bowed, and gaze lowered.
May Allah Almighty allow us to the honour of visiting Madinah time and time again. May He bless us with the ability to uphold the rights of its Ḥaram.
اٰمِیْنْ بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّٖن صلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہ ِوَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
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