A LETTER FROM MEDINA (II)

“Tala’al-Badru ‘alayna/min thaniyyatil-Wada’/wajabash-shukru ‘alayna/ma da’a lillahi da’. (O the White Moon rose over us/From the Valley of Wada’/And we owe it to show gratefulness/Where the call is to Allah!) “Ayyuha al-mab’uthu fina/ji’ta bi-al-amril-muta’/Ji’ta sharraftal-Madinah/marhaban ya khayra da’. (O you who were raised amongst us/Coming with a work to be obeyed/You have brought to this City […]

“Tala’al-Badru ‘alayna/min thaniyyatil-Wada’/wajabash-shukru ‘alayna/ma da’a lillahi da’. (O the White Moon rose over us/From the Valley of Wada’/And we owe it to show gratefulness/Where the call is to Allah!)

“Ayyuha al-mab’uthu fina/ji’ta bi-al-amril-muta’/Ji’ta sharraftal-Madinah/marhaban ya khayra da’. (O you who were raised amongst us/Coming with a work to be obeyed/You have brought to this City nobleness/Welcome! Best call to God’s way!)”

Thus sang, to the accompaniment of sweet and melodious music, Yusuf Islam (the former Cat Stevens) in his epic Tala’al Badru (The White Moon Rose). Yusuf Islam was re-singing the song the people of Medina sang to celebrate the arrival of Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace, in the Year 622 CE (1430 years ago according to the Islamic calendar). As I arrived Medina Airport this Friday morning, I reminisced over those sweet lines sang by the people of Medina, all those years ago, to welcome the greatest person that ever walked on the face of Planet Earth, Muhammad, sallal Lahu alaihi wa sallam.

For a little bit of geography and history, Medina is said to currently have an original population of about 1,500,000 people (multiplied by two in the height of the pilgrimage season). The city was originally known as Yathrib but, with the advent of Prophet Muhammad, the city’s name was changed to Madinatun-Nabi, City of the Prophet, or Al Madinah al Munawwarah (‘The Lighted City’ or ‘The Lightened City’ or ‘The Radiant City’), while the short form Madinah simply means ‘City’. Medina is celebrated for containing the Mosque of Prophet Muhammad, and so ranks as the second holiest city of Islam, after Mecca.

The Mosque of the Prophet was built on a site adjacent to his home. Millions of Muslims come to Medina annually to worship in the mosque, visit the Tomb of Prophet, and visit other historical places associated with the Migration of the Prophet (Hijra) from Mecca in 622 CE, as well as sites associated with the subsequent wars the Prophet had to fight to protect his fledgling community.

On arrival in Medina, the Prophet had neutralised the centuries-old enmity between the two predominant Medina clans, the Aws and Khazraj,and named those who arrived from Mecca the Muhajirun (Migrators), and their hosts in Medina the Ansar (Patrons or Helpers). Not long after his arrival, the political acumen of the Prophet shone through by the enactment of the Treaty of Medina, also referred to as the Constitution of Medina, which committed residents of Medina to mutual cooperation. The multi-articled Treaty included such as:

“This is a document from Muhammad the Prophet governing relations between the Believers/The peace of the Believers of the State of Madinah cannot be divided/The Believers, who fear Allah, will oppose the rebellious elements and those that encourage injustice or sin, or enmity or corruption among Believers/If anyone is guilty of any such act all the Believers will oppose him even if he be the son of any one of them.

“Protection (when given) in the Name of Allah will be common. The weakest among Believers may give protection and it will be binding on all Believers/Believers are all friends to each other to the exclusion of all others/When you differ on anything (regarding this Document) the matter shall be referred to Allah and Muhammad/Allah approves this Document/Allah is the Protector of the good people and those who fear Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” 1430 years ago this was enacted, signed and sealed! (The famous English Magna Carta came many centuries later, in 215.)

But alas! Today in Medina, things are not as they used to be. But of course, how could they be? We have read in Islamic history that when he lived, the Holy Prophet surrounded himself with his poor companions such as Bilal and Abu Zar. Alas today, the Mosque of the Prophet, which encloses the Prophet’s House where he and his two closest companions Abubakar and Umar now finally rest, is surrounded by the Hiltons, the Meridiens, the Four Seasons and the Intercontinentals.

‘Wealthyism’ (my term for the ‘racism’ of money), has taken root here. The poor have been pushed further and further away from the Prophet’s Mosque and his grave, and the Great Presence. Only a few can afford to stay near the Prophet in five-star luxury. And how unhappy would the Prophet be, that the poor are farthest from him.

And now some good news: “China has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to build a new railway system linking the main sites of the annual Muslim pilgrimage, the Hajj. The new railway will connect the city of Mecca with the pilgrim destinations of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Saudi Arabia also plans to build a high-speed rail link to take pilgrims from Mecca to Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities, in 30 minutes. The journey time by road can take anywhere between four and five hours.

“Millions of Islamic faithful descend on Mecca during the annual mass pilgrimage. The new network in Saudi Arabia is expected to be ready within three years, with one section of the line due to be completed in time for the 2010 Hajj, officials said. The contract, worth almost $1.8bn (£1.24bn), was awarded to the China Railway Company and a French firm. The project was announced during a three-day visit by the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, to Saudi Arabia. China is becoming a key contractor on infrastructure projects in the oil-rich kingdom…”

And now some not-so-good news: “Nigeria’s three major nationalities have since divided the ‘world’ among themselves: the Igbo are all over the United States. They do lots in science, engineering, medicine, commerce. The Yoruba have colonised the United Kingdom, especially London. They also are enterprising: academics, medicine, commerce (as in ponmo), some tissue paper recycling (remember POVERTY from two years ago?)

My own people, the Hausa-Fulani and other northern stock are all over Saudi Arabia, mostly Mecca, Medina and Jeddah. What do they generally do? Sadly not science, not engineering, not medicine. My pitiable, wretched lot are engaged in their peculiar ‘trades’: begging, hawking, scavenging, charity. I saw one woman carrying four donated  blankets; too heavy for her. Kai! Allah wadan naka ya lalace! May we be guided!

And once more, as I pass on the greetings of readers and editors to the Prophet, let us all intone Sallal Lahu ala Muhammad!