MADINAH, 4 February 2003 — For over 14 centuries, Muslims from the four corners of the world have been performing Haj, one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.
Although the rituals of the Haj are exclusively performed in and around Makkah, most of the more than two million pilgrims who complete them also undertake a pilgrimage to the holy city of Madinah.
“The Haj pilgrims’ visit to Madinah is not a religious duty as in the case of Makkah, but happens out of love and respect for Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),” says Sami Angawi, a well-known Saudi intellectual.
“It is in Madinah where the Prophet established the first Islamic community, spent the last years of his life, and where he and many of his companions were laid to rest. If Makkah is the heart of Islam, Madinah is the brain.”
“Madinah is really the origin of the history of Islam. Visiting Madinah is like going back to the womb,” says photographer and columnist Reem Mohammed Al-Faisal. “Going to Haj and then visiting Madinah really makes it the Islamic experience of a lifetime.”
Khaled Al-Homayed, 28, a native of Madinah, elaborates on the City of Light’s longstanding reputation for hospitality.
“Madinah’s hospitality dates back to when the Prophet settled there from Makkah when Madinah was still known as Yathrib.
“The warm welcome he received became the defining characteristic of the city.”
The city also saw the establishment of the first Islamic state, and the date of the Prophet’s arrival there marked the first year of the Islamic calendar.
Madinah is also a melting pot for many diverse cultures. It knew globalization before the concept even existed.
Examples of hospitality remain vivid in the minds of the Haj pilgrims.
“I remember when Haj coincided with the summer season, and the people of Madinah used to fight for the privilege of giving the pilgrims water and food,” Homayed says.
“It was normal to invite pilgrims to your home for a meal and a cup of tea, and that’s still the case today,” he adds.
Mahmoud Ahmed, 27, also a native of Madinah, says that he couldn’t agree more.
“There is a strong belief that if you help a pilgrim, you will be rewarded in heaven,” he says. “If, for example, a pilgrim is lost, a native of Madinah will take him by the hand and guide him wherever he is supposed to be. Of course, that’s after they’ve fed him and found out everything about him and where he is from.”
“I think the fact that this is where it all started makes people more thoughtful,” Angawi says. “It is a link to our past, and unfortunately now there are fewer Islamic historical sites to see.”
“I believe we should do more to preserve what is left of our Islamic heritage in Madinah for all Muslims to experience,” he adds.
