The True Wealth of Madinah Munawwarah
by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh)
My respected Shaikh, Hazrat Maulana Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (Damat Barakatuhu), mentioned in his poetry that our value is dependent on our Nisbat with Madinah Munawwarah.
When anything is purchased and brought from Madinah Munawwarah, a lover of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) will naturally appreciate and value it —no matter how small or cheap.
Why? -Because it has a connection with the city of the Beloved (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The air of Madinah Sharif has touched it, or it has been produced from the blessed land of Madinah Sharif —which has made it special.
The residents of Madinah Sharif are the neighbours of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and they are the envy of the heavens because they have such extreme physical closeness to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). They are the envy of all of us as well – for we, too, desire the honour of being in such proximity to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) at all times.
Allah Ta'ala, in His infinite Mercy and Grace, does not want to deprive anyone of us of this blessing of being close to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), so He has given us a simple recourse to always being near to our Beloved Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). This nearness is attained via our Nisbat (connection) with the A'amal (Actions) of Madinah Munawwarah – i.e. the Sunnah (way of life) of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Our value in the sight of Allah Ta'ala is dependent on our relationship with His beloved Rasul (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
Allah Ta'ala has informed us of this in the Qur'an Sharif :
Say (O Prophet): “If you really love Allah, then follow me, and Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.”
[Surah Al-Imran 3:31]
My Shaykh has presented the same message in poetry form :
“The footprints of the Beloved of Allah,
Nabi Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is the road to Jannat;
The Sunnats of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)connect one with Allah Ta’ala.”
It is a misconception that a person's repeated performance of Haj and Umrah and repeated visits to Madinah Munawwarah is to be taken as the yardstick of piety. The yardstick of piety is not how many umrahs or Haj a person has made.
The present-day scenario is saddening, to say the least – since Umrah and Haj have become a holiday, a shopping spree, and a “tour” for the majority.
The deficit is in “sincerity of intention”. As has been said, the visitors are many, but the pilgrims are scarce.
For many, these trips are now for business and trade. And for others, each trip is another “feather” in their caps – which must be made known and announced to the world. There are those that boast of their yearly trips, whether for Haj or ‘Umra, or both, updating us on the number of visits they make to Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah. We have heard people say: “I have made Umrah for the past 20 or 30 years and have never missed out one…”
Yet, the reality is that we cannot count our umrahs and haj. We cannot say how many have been performed because we do not know how many have been accepted. Those umrahs and Haj that are accepted are the only ones that we can count. And we will only come to know of their acceptance on the Day of Judgement.
Despite the frequent visits to the Haramayn Sharifayn, there is generally not much improvement in our spirituality. If we have not brought a reformation in our lifestyles: If we have not fulfilled the rights of people, if we have not returned to people that which is their due, if we have not asked forgiveness from those whom we have wronged, if we are not punctual with Salah, and if our Zahir (external condition) and our Batin (internal condition) does not reflect the purity and spirituality that come with visits to the Haramayn Sharifayn, then we should truly be concerned as to the quality and acceptance of our Haj and Umrah.
I have mentioned many times that the “Mal” (wealth/material goods) of Madinah Munawwarah is not what is available in its marketplaces, bazars and shopping complexes. Unfortunately, when we visit Madinah Munawwarah, then more often than not, the objective is the “Mal” of Madinah Sharif.
The majority of those visiting Madinah Munawwarah forget the purpose of their visit once their gazes fall on the commercial centres of Madinah Sharif. Many who know about the material commodities being sold plan in advance – that there will be an exchange or purchase of gold, and there will be this commodity and that commodity bought.
Whilst in Madinah Sharif, the talk is about the latest technology, cellphones, the best gold shops, cloak shops, and so forth.
The intention and pursuit become the “Mal” of Madinah and not the “A'mal” of Madinah Munawwarah. And this is how our stay of 7 or 8 days passes: we are “mauled by the malls”. Our Iman, love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), time, energy, and money are “mauled” in the obsession we have with shopping. We forget, and sometimes we do not even care to give any kind of attention or express any kind of appreciation to our host, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), because we are so caught up in material purchases.
Instead of filling up the pockets of our hearts with the wealth of Love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and with the wealth of his noble characteristics, we fill up suitcases and suitcases – many a time, even purchasing more suitcases – for filling up the material commodities of Madinah Sharif.
I am not saying that it is Haram to shop there. It will be meritorious if a person makes purchases with the intention of supporting the businessmen and traders of Madinah Munawwarah. The Hadith also mentions that when we are on a journey, we should make some effort to bring back gifts for our families no matter how small or cheap –because there is always an expectation from those who remain behind at home that the person on a journey will remember his loved ones and bring back something for them – but this should not be misconstrued.
Shopping is not meant to be the “be all and end all” —especially during our visit to the Haramayn Sharifayn. The person should purchase a few gift items a day or two before departure. And the gifts that we should appreciate most are the duas of the Haramayn Sharifayn, Salam at the Raudha Mubarak, the Zam Zam of Makkah Mukarramah and the Kajur (dates) of Madinah Munawwarah.
Almost everything else is made in China, Taiwan and Japan and can be purchased anywhere else in the world, including our own country, city or town. However, the Haramayn Sharifayn offer a different “market” where such spiritual bounties are obtained that cannot be obtained anywhere else in the world.
The true lovers of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) make this trip to fill their hearts and lives with the “A'mal” of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) – with his beautiful Sirah and Surat, with his kindness, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, generosity, abstinence and the treasure trove that we know of his noble life.
The visit should be purely to visit Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), to make Salam to our Beloved Nabi(sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), to spend time in his Mubarak city and obtain from our visit, those virtues and qualities that will be the medium of bonding with him and being the means of our own value increasing in the sight of Allah Ta'ala.
If all the visitors to Madinah Sharif were to return home with the true “Mal” and wealth of Madinah Sharif – i.e. the Akhlaq (character) and A'mal of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), then the value of the entire Ummah will increase.
The Sahabah (radiyallahu' anhum) were the “stars” of mankind – guides and leaders for all nations and people. They had to thus make the great sacrifice of leaving Madinah Sharif to spread the religion of Islam. Despite them being distanced from their beloved Madinah Sharif, they travelled with the “Nisbat” of Madinah Sharif. This was the key to their success. Wherever they went, there was progress and success.
On the other hand, we put price tags on ourselves by looking at our material possessions. What are material possessions? Fana (annihilation and destruction) will come over them.
Let us introspect and consider our value in light of the Nisbat that we have with Madinah Sharif.
The reality is that we have discarded our Nisbat with Madinah Sharif, and as such, our value has decreased. Today, the Ummah as a whole is being sold very cheaply in the markets of the Kuffar. This is our own doing and downfall.
If we have to re-connect with the way of life, the actions and characteristics of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), then most definitely, we will fetch a high price in Allah Ta'ala's esteem, and we will be successful in both worlds.