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Key points
- Madinah is the city of the Prophet ﷺ, where he lived after the Hijrah and where he is buried, beside his mosque.
- Its old name was Yathrib; the Prophet ﷺ called it Taybah and Tabah, and Muslims call it Madinah al-Munawwarah, the radiant city.
- Most pilgrims stay in the central area around Masjid an-Nabawi and walk to every prayer.
- Madinah is about 450 km from Makkah: around two and a half hours by the Haramain train, or five to six hours by road.
The city of the Prophet ﷺ
Before Islam the town was called Yathrib, a name the Qur’an mentions (33:13). When the Prophet ﷺ came on the Hijrah, it became Madinat an-Nabi, the city of the Prophet, and soon simply Madinah. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah named it Tabah (Muslim 1385), a name meaning good and pure.
The Prophet ﷺ made du’a for its blessing (Bukhari 1885) and said that angels guard its roads (Bukhari 1880). Like Makkah, Madinah has a sacred boundary, a haram, where trees are not to be cut and wrongdoing is especially serious (Bukhari 1867).
The area around Masjid an-Nabawi
The central area around the mosque is called the Markaziyah. Most hotels for pilgrims are here, on the north and south sides, a few minutes’ walk from the courtyards. Hotels on the north side are usually closer to the main men’s gates; on the south side they are close to the qiblah wall and Jannatul Baqi.
Around the hotels you will find Indian and Pakistani restaurants, date shops, pharmacies and exchange counters. Shops close for the time of each prayer.
Weather through the year
- November to February: pleasant days, cool nights. Early mornings can feel cold, so carry a light jacket
- March, April and October: warm days, comfortable evenings
- May to September: very hot, often above 40°C in the afternoon. Stay in the shade and drink water often
- Rain is rare. Madinah is a little greener than Makkah, with date palms all around the city
Getting to Madinah
- From Makkah by the Haramain high-speed train: around two and a half hours, from Makkah station to Madinah station, then a short taxi ride to the hotel
- From Makkah by road: five to six hours by bus or car, with a stop on the way
- By air: Madinah airport (Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz) is about 20 km from the Haram. Some flights from India land here directly
- Many groups from India arrive in Madinah first and go to Makkah later, putting on ihram at Dhul Hulaifah on the way
Places to visit (ziyarat)
- Masjid an-Nabawi, the Rawdah and salam to the Prophet ﷺ
- Jannatul Baqi, the graveyard beside the mosque
- Masjid Quba, the first mosque of Islam
- Masjid al-Qiblatain, the mosque of the two qiblahs
- Mount Uhud, the archers’ hill and the martyrs’ graves
- The small historic mosques near the Haram, such as Masjid al-Ghamama
Ziyarat is a recommended visit, not a part of Umrah. Keep it to what the sunnah teaches: salam, du’a and prayer.
Etiquette in Madinah
- Keep your voice low in the mosque and around the Prophet’s ﷺ grave
- Send salam calmly and keep moving with the line; do not push
- Be kind to the people of Madinah, the workers and other pilgrims. This is the city of the Prophet ﷺ
- Use your time: pray in the mosque, read Qur’an and send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ often
Questions
Yathrib. After the Hijrah it became known as Madinat an-Nabi, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ also called it Tabah and Taybah.
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Official guidance
This guide is general travel information. For religious rulings, please ask a qualified scholar.
