The Location and Founding History of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

A Study in Light of Ibn Kathir’s Narrations in His Book "Al-Sirah Al-Nabawiyyah

Abstract

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is considered one of the most important cities in Islamic history. It was the place where divine revelation descended and the refuge of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) after his migration from Mecca. It served as the foundation of the first Islamic state. The city is home to the Prophet’s Mosque, the second holiest mosque for Muslims after the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, and it contains Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah and the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), making it a spiritual destination for Muslims across all times and places. Muslim scholars have extensively studied and authored works on Medina and its revered inhabitant, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Among these scholars is Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him), who authored the book Al-Sirah Al-Nabawiyyah (The Prophetic Biography). I have chosen the research topic “The Location of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah and Its Founding History: A Study in Light of Ibn Kathir’s Narrations in Al-Sirah Al-Nabawiyyah” to highlight its distinguished geographical location, its rich history predating Islam, and the establishment of the city. The research explores how historians have addressed the city’s location and founding, as well as the role of Imam Ibn Kathir as one of the most prominent scholars who documented the events of the Prophetic biography and the history of Al-Madinah in his book.

This research relies on the historical methodology, as well as the inductive method for tracing sacred and historical texts, and the analytical method for understanding and interpreting the past. I divided the study into three main chapters: 1. The Geographical Framework of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah:  This chapter discusses the geographical location of the city, its names before Islam (Yathrib and the origin of the name), its historical and religious boundaries, and the significance of its location in trade between Yemen and the Levant. 2. The Founding History of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah in Light of Ibn Kathir’s Narrations:  This chapter addresses Ibn Kathir’s narrations about the city’s establishment, its importance as the land of migration and the center of prophethood, and the various names given to Al-Madinah after the Prophet’s migration.3. The Formation of Al-Madinah’s Society After the Prophetic Migration:  This chapter examines the tribes that inhabited the city (Al-Aws, Al-Khazraj, and the Jews), the political and social conditions in the city before the migration, and the dominance of Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj over the city.

The conclusion highlights the enduring importance of Medina’s location and how Prophet Muhammad ﷺ arrived and settled there. It further examines how the circumstances were prepared to make it the home of Islam and the capital of the nascent Islamic state during the Prophetic era. Subsequently, Medina continued as the capital of the Rashidun Caliphate under Abu Bakr, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and during a period of Ali ibn Abi Talib’s caliphate (may Allah be pleased with them all).