THE PILLARS OF MASJID-E-NABAWI

THERE ARE MANY OTHER PLACES INSIDE THE MOSQUE AT WHICH SPECIAL PRAYERS MAY BE OFFERED. MOST OF THESE ARE NORMALLY MENTIONED IN HAJ QUIDES. A FEW OF THESE ARE NOW DESCRIBED.

HAZRAT MULLAH ALI QARI RA. WRITES : "THOSE PILLARS OF THE MOSQUE, WHICH ARE OF SPECIAL VIRTUE AND BLESSED SHOULD INDEED BE VISITED BY THE VISITOR TO MADINAH. THERE HE SHOULD KEEP HIMSELF BUSY WITH VOLUNTARY (NAFIL) PRAYERS AND DUAA. THIS APPLIES ESPECIALLY TO THAT PORTION OF THE MOSQUE WHICH USED TO BE THE MOSQUE DURING THE TIME OF RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) (BEFORE ITS ENLARGEMENT). THE PILLARS IN THIS AREA ARE OF SPECIAL BLESSED NATURE. ACCORDING TO HAZRAT IMAAM BUKHARI R.A. THE COMPANIONS OF RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) USED TO OFFER MANY PRAYERS AT THESE PILLARS. THEY ARE EIGHT IN NUMBER.

1. USTUWAANA MUKHALLAQ.

THIS IS ALSO CALLED THE USTUWAANA-E-HAN'NANAH; THE WEEPING PILLAR. THIS IS THE MOST BELSSED OF THESE PILLARS FOR THIS WAS RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) PLACE OF SALAAH. ON THIS SPOT THERE ONCE USED TO GROW A DATE PALM. BEFORE THE ADVENT OF THE MIMBAR, RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) USED TO LEAN ON IT WHILE DELIVERING THE KHUTBA (SERMON). WHEN THE MIMBER WAS MADE RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) USED IT FOR THE KHUTBA. IT SO HAPPENED THAT WHEN THE CHANGE TOOK PLACE, SUCH A BITTER SOUND OF WEEPING WAS HEARD FROM THE TREE THAT THE WHOLE MASJID ECHOED; AND THOSE IN THE MOSQUE STARTED WEEPING. RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) THEN WENT TO THE TREE, PLACED HIS HAND ON IT AND THE CRYING STOPPED. RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) THEN SAID : "THE TREE CRIES BECAUSE OF THE ZIKR OF ALLAH WAS HEARD NEAR IT, AND NOW THAT THE MIMBER IS BUILT IT HAS BEEN DEPRIVED OF THIS ZIKR IN ITS IMMEDIATE VICINITY ; THEREFORE IT WEEPS. IF I DID NOT PLACE MY HAND ON IT ; IT WOULD HAVE CRIED THUS TILL THE DAY OF QIYAAMAH."

AFTERWARDS THE TREE DRIED UP AND WAS BURIED. THIS IS A VERY FAMOUS EVENT REPORTED BY TEN OF THE SAHAABA. WHEN HAZRAT HASAN AL BASRI (R.A) REPORTED THIS STORY BE CRIED BITTERLY AND SAID ; 'O PEOPLE; THIS TREE LONGED SO MUCH RIGHT TO LONG FOR HIM AND LOVE HIM ?. (SHIFAA)

ACCORDING TO ANOTHER HADITH IT IS SAID ; THAT WHEN THE MIMBER WAS PREPARED AND RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) WENT TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE TREE CRIED SO LOUDLY THAT IT ALMOST SPLIT OPEN. RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) DESCENDED FROM THE MIMBER AND WENT TO PUT HIS HAND ON THE TREE AND ITS CRTING SUBSIDED GRADUALLY AS A CHILD QUITENS WHEN HE IS BEING CONSOLED AFTER CRYING BITTERLY. (BUKHAARI). THIS IS THE REASON FOR IT BEING CALLED USTUWAANA-E-HAN'NANAH; WHICH MEANS CRYING CAMEL. 'MUKHALLAQ' MEANS THE PILLAR WHICH HAS A COMPOUND FRAGRANCE PUT ONTO IT.

HAZRAT IMAAM MAALIK (R.Z) SAYS; "OF ALL PLACES THE ONE I PREFER FOR MY SALAAH IN THE MASJID OF RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) IS THIS ONE." TODAY IT HAS BEEN MADE INTO A MEMBER; NICHE; CALLED 'MIHRABUN NABI'. THIS WAS NOT SO IN THE TIME OF RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) ,AND ONLY CAME ABOUT DURING THE REIGN OF WALEED BIN ABDUL MALIK ; WHEN HAZRAT UMAR BIN ABDUL AZIZ (R.Z) WAS GOVERNOR OF MADINA. THEN THIS MIHRAB WAS BUILT WHEN THE MASJID WAS BEING RECONSTRUCTED. (NUZHATUN NAAZEREEN)

2. USTUWAANA AA'ISHA (RA)

THIS IS ALSO CALLED THE USTUWAANA-E-MUHAAJEREEN, BECAUSE ORIGNALLY THE MUHAAJEREEN USED TO SIT NEAR THIS SPOT. RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) USED TO SAY HIS PRAYERS HERE AND AFTERWARDS MOVED TO THE PLACE AT USTUWAANA MUKHALLAQ (NO. 1). IT IS ALSO CALLED THE USTUWAANA-I-QUR'A. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT HAZRAT AA'ISHA (RZ) REPORTS THAT RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) SAID: IN THIS MOSQUE IS ONE SUCH SPOT THAT IF PEOPLE KNEW THE TRUE-BLESSED-NATURE OF IT; THEY WOULD FLOCK TOWARDS IT IN SUCH NUMBERS THAT TO PRAY THERE WOULD HAVE HAD TO CAST LOTS. (QUR'AN).

PEOPLE ASKED HER TO POINT OUT THE EXACT SPOT ; WHICH SHE REFUSED TO DO. LATER ON AT THE PERSISTENCE OF HAZRAT ABDULLAH IBN ZUBAIR (RZ), SHE POINTED OUT THIS SPOT. HENCE IT IS CALLED USTUWAANA-I-AA'ISHA BECAUSE THE HADITH IS REPORTED BY HER AND THE EXACT SPOT WAS SHOWN BY HER. IT IS A FACT THAT HAZRAT ABU BAKR (RZ) AND HAZRAT UMAR (RZ) VERY OFTEN USED TO PRAY HERE.

3. USTUWAANA-I-TOWBAH

ALSO KNOWN AS USTUWAANA ABU LUBABAH. HAZRAT ABU LUBABAH (RZ) WAS ONE OF THE FAMOUS SAHAABA. DURING THE BATTLE AGAINST THE BANU QURAIZA, WHILE THE MUSLIMS WERE SURROUNDING THEM, HE BECAME IMPATIENT AND AS A RESULT OF WHICH HE WANTED TO THROW DOWN HIS ARMS. BEFORE ISLAM, HE HAD MUCH DEALINGS WITH THE JEWS OF BANU QURAIZA. NOW AFTER THE JEWS HAD ACTED TREACHEROUSLY AGAINST THE MUSLIM; THE JEWS CALLED ON HIM WHAT RASULULLAH SAL-AM INTENDED TO DO AGAINST THEM FOR THEIR TREACHERY WHEN HE REACHED THEM THEY ALL BEGAN WAILING AND CRYING. HE WAS AFFECTED BY THIS AND HE INDICATED TOWARDS HIS THROAT SUGGESTING THAT THEY WOULD BE KILLED. THEREAFTER HAVING DONE THAT HE BECAME SO GRIEVED AT THIS INDESCRETION THAT HE COULD NOT REST.

HE THEREUPON CAME TO THE MOSQUE AND HERE AT THIS SPOT WHERE A DATE-TREE USED TO STAND, HE BOUND HIMSELF TO THE TRUNK SAYING. "AS LONG AS MY REPENTANCE IS NOT ACCEPTED BY ALLAH, I SHALL NOT UNTIE MYSELF FORM HERE. AND RASULULLAH SAL-AM HIMSELF MUST UNDO MY BONDS." WHEN RASULULLAH SAL-AM, HEARD THIS HE SAID : "IF HE HAD COME TO ME I WOULD HAVE BEGGED FORGIVENESS ON HIS BEHALF. NOW HE HAD ACTED ON HIS OWN INIATIVE ; SO HOW CAN I UNTIE HIM UNTIL SUCH A TIME THAT HIS REPENTANCE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED.'

FOR MANY DAYS HE REMAINED TIED THERE, EXPECT FOR SALAAH AND FOR THE CALL OF NATURE. AT SUCH TIMES HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER USED TO UNTIE HIM AND THEN AGAIN TIED HIM TO THE TREE. HE REMAINED WITHOUT FOOD OR DRINK ! AS A RESULT OF WHICH HIS SIGHT AND HEARING WERE EFFECTED. THEN AFTER A FEW DAYS ONE MORNING WHILE RASULULLAH SAL-AM WAS IN TAHAJJUD PRAYERS IN THE HOUSE OF HAZRAT UMME SALAMA RA. HE RECEIVED THE GOOD NEWS THAT HIS TOWBAH HAD BEEN ACCEPTED. THE SAHAABA RA. CONVEYED THE NEWS TO HIM, AND WANTED TO UNTIE HIM : BUT HE REFUSED , SAYING : "AS LONG AS THE NABI SAL-AM DOES NOT UNTIE ME WITH HIS BLESSED HANDS, I SHALL NOT ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO DO SO." WHEN RASULULLAH SAL-AM ENTERED FOR FAJR SALLAAH HE UNTIED HIM.

SOME ULAMA ARE OF THE OPINION THAT ABU LUBABA WAS ONE OF THOSE THREE SAHAABA WHO STAYED BEHIND IN THE BATTLE OF TABUK, AND BECAME SO FILLED WITH REMORESE AND GRIEF THAT HE TED HIMSELF TO THIS TREE WAITING FOR TOWBAH TO BE ACCEPTED. THEN FINALLY AFTER MANY DAYS THERE HIS TOWBAH WAS ACCEPTED WHEN A VERSE OF THE QUR'AN WAS REVEALED. THEN ONLY WAS HE UNTIED.

THIS SPOT IS VERY NEAR THE ONE AT WHICH RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) SAT FOR I'TIKAAF, AND MOST OF THE POOR AND DESTITUTE ONES USED TO BE SEATED THERE. RASULULLAH SAL-AM VERY OFTEN USED TO REMAIN WITH THEN THERE AFTER FAJR TILL THE SUN ROSE.

4. USTUWAANA-I-SAREER.

SAREER MEANS SLEEPING PLACE. IT IS REPORTED THAT RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) USED TO MAKE I'ITIKAAF HERE ALSO, AND USED TO SLEEP HERE WHILE IN I'TIKAAF. A PLATFORM OF WOOD USED TO BE PUT HERE FOR HIM TO SLEEP ON.

5. USTUWAANA-I-ALI

ALSO KNOWN AS USTUWAANA-I-MAH'RAS OR HARS. HARS MEANS TO WATCH OR PROTECT. THIS USED TO BE THE PLACE WHERE SOME OF THE SAHAABA RA. USED TO SIT WHEN KEEPING WATCH OR ACTING AS GATE KEEPERS. HAZRAT ALI RA. USED TO BE THE ONE WHO MOSTLY USTUWAANA-I-ALI RA. WHEN RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) ENTERED THE MASJID FROM THE DOOR OF AA'ISHA RA'S ROOM, HE PASSED THIS SPOT.

6. USTUWAANA-I-WUFOOD.

WUFOOD MEANS DELEGATIONS. WHENEVER DEPUTATIONS ARRIVED TO MEET RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) ON BEHALF OF THEIR TRIBES, THEY WERE SEATED HERE ; AND HERE HE USED TO BE WITH THEM ; CONVERSED WITH THEM AND TAUGHT THEM THE DEEN. THE ULAMA HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION IN FIXING THE EXACT SPOTS OF NUMBER FIVE AND SIX. FOR DETAIL SEE 'NUZ'HATUN NAAZEREEN, ETC.

7. USTUWAANA-I-TAHAJJUD.

IT IS REPORTED THAT THIS WAS THE SPOT WHERE LATE AT NIGHT A CARPET WAS SPREAD FOR RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) TO PERFORM TAHAJJUD PRAYERS, AFTER ALL THE PEOPLE HAD LEFT. ACCORDING TO SOME REPORTS THIS WAS ALSO THE PLACE WHERE FOR THREE NIGHTS RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) PERFORMED HIS TARAAWEEH SALAAH. A VERY LARGE ASSEMBLY OF COMPANIONS GATHERED TO FOLLOW HIM. THEREAFTER FEARING THAT THIS FORM OF PRAYER MAY BECOME OBLIGATORY HE CEASED TO LEAD THE GATHERING.

HOWEVER THE MOST FAMOUS REPORT STATES THAT THE TARAWEEH SALAAH WERE IN THE MASJID AND NOT IN THE HOUSE. AT THAT TIME THIS PLACE WAS NOT PART OF THE MASJID AS IT IS TODAY.

8. USTUWAANA-I-JIBRA'IL.

THIS WAS THE USUAL PLACE WHERE JIBRA'IL AS. USED TO ENTER TO VISIT RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) . TODAY IT CANNOT BE SEEN AS IT LIES INSIDE THE HOLY HUJRAROOM-OF RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) .

THESE ARE EIGHT SPECIAL SPOTS MENTIONED BY ULAMA. HOWEVER, WHAT PART OF THE MASJID IS THERE WHERE THE HOLY FEET OF RASULULLAH (Sallallahu Alaihe wasallam) DID NOT TOUCH OR WHERE HE AND THE SAHAABA RA., DID NOT SAY THEIR PRAYERS ? IN FACT WHAT PART OF MADINA IS THERE WHERE THESE SAINTLY SOULS DID NOT TREAD?

EVERY STEP TAKEN IN MADINA IS A 'STEP ON HOLY GROUND.' MAY ALLAH HELP US ALL TO BENEFIT FROM THE BLESSINGS OF THIS HOLY AND SACRED PLACE. AAMEEN.