Overview
As of 2006, the city of Medina city has a population of about 1.3 million. During the pre-Islamic period up until 622 AD, the city was known as Yathrib, an oasis city. In addition to its Arab inhabitants, Yathrib was inhabited by Jewish refugees who fled the aftermath of the war with the Romans in the second century AD. Later the city's name was changed to Madīnat an-Nabiy (مَدِينَةُ ٱلنَّبِيّ "city of the prophet") or Al-Madīnat(u) 'l-Munawwarah (اَلْمَدِينَةٌ ٱلْمٌنَوَّرَة "the enlightened city" or "the radiant city"). Medina is celebrated for containing the mosque of Muhammad and also as the city which gave refuge to him and his followers, and so ranks as the second holiest city of Islam, after Mecca (Makkah). Muhammad was buried in Medina, under the Green Dome, as were the first two Rashidun (Rightly Guided Caliphs), Abu Bakr and Umar, who were buried in an adjacent area in the mosque.
Medina is 210 mi (340 km) north of Mecca and about 120 mi (190 km) from the Red Sea coast. It is situated in the most fertile part of all the Hejaz territory, the streams of the vicinity tending to converge in this locality. An immense plain extends to the south; in every direction the view is bounded by hills and mountains.
The historic city formed an oval, surrounded by a strong wall, 30 to 40 ft (9.1 to 12 m) high, dating from the 12th century CE, and was flanked with towers, while on a rock, stood a castle. Of its four gates, the Bab-al-Salam, or Egyptian gate, was remarkable for its beauty. Beyond the walls of the city, west and south were suburbs consisting of low houses, yards, gardens and plantations. These suburbs also had walls and gates. Almost all of the historic city has been demolished in the Saudi era. The rebuilt city is centred on the vastly expanded Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (The mosque of the Prophet).
The tombs of Fatimah (Muhammad's daughter) and Hasan (Muhammad's grandson), across from the mosque at Jannat al-Baqi, and Abu Bakr (first caliph and the father of Muhammad's wife, Aisha), and of Umar (Umar ibn Al-Khattab), the second caliph, are also here. The mosque dates back to the time of Muhammad, but has been twice burned and reconstructed.
Because of the Saudi government's religious policy and concern that historic sites could become the focus for idolatry, much of Medina's Islamic physical heritage has been destroyed since the beginning of Saudi rule.
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