Site of the battle of Badr

This picture shows a view of Badr where the first battle in Islam took place in Ramadhan 2AH. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and the Sahabah, only 313 in number defeated a Quraish army of 1000 through the help of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).

Grave of Bibi Aminah
(may Allah be pleased with her)

This grave, located in Abwa, close to Madinah is of Bibi Aminah (may Allah be pleased with her), the mother of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). She passed away returning from Madinah to Makkah when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was just six years old.

Mada’in Saleh

Mada’in Saleh (city of Saleh) is a pre-Islamic archaeological site located in the Al-Ula sector approximately 400km north-west of Madinah. It is here that the tribe of Thamud lived, famed for their ability to carve out homes in the mountains. The prophet Saleh (upon him be peace) was sent by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to guide them but they rejected his teachings and were destroyed by an earthquake.

Tomb of Hawa
(upon her be peace)

This is the entrance in Jeddah to what is believed to be the tomb of Hawa (upon her be peace), also known as Eve, the first woman created and the wife of Adam (upon him be peace). The name Jeddah means the “Ancestor of Women”.

Cave of Uhud

This naturally formed cave, on the side of Mount Uhud facing Masjid-e-Nabwi is where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) took refuge after being wounded during the Battle of Uhud. He was carried there on the back of Talha (may Allah be pleased with him).

Al-Ghars well

Located approximately one kilometer north of Masjid Quba, the Al-Ghars well was a place from which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) drank and made a request that he be bathed with its water after his demise.

Ibn Majar quoted Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) as saying, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said:

“When I die, wash me with seven waterskins from Al-Ghars Well. He (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) also used to drink from this well.”

Jannatul Baqi

Jannatul Baqi (Garden of Heaven) is the main cemetery of Madinah. Buried there are many members of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) close family, around ten thousand of his companions (Sahabah) and many prominent, pious personalities.

• Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported (that whenever it was her turn for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) to spend the night with her) he would go out towards the end of the night to al-Baqi and say: “Peace be upon you, abode of a people who are believers. What you were promised would come to you tomorrow, you receiving it after some delay; and God willing we shall join you. O Allah, grant forgiveness to the inhabitants of Baqi al-Gharqad.” [Muslim]

• Baqi means the land in which the roots of different trees are embedded, Gharqad is the name of a thorny tree (Boxthorn) which were abundant in Baqi. Hence the cemetery also came to be known as Baqi al-Gharqad.

• The first person to be buried in al-Baqi was As’ad Bin Zararah (may Allah be pleased with him), an Ansari companion who died soon after the Prophet ‘s (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) migration to Madinah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) chose the spot to be a cemetery. The first of the Muhajirun (Emigrants) to be buried there was Uthman bin Mazoun who died shortly after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) returned from the battle of Badr.

Some of the blessed personalities resting in Jannatul Baqi are:

• The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), also known as the Mothers of the Believers including Aisha, Hafsa and Sauda. The two wives that are not buried here are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid who is buried in Makkah and Maymuna bint al-Harith who is buried in Sarif. May Allah be pleased with them.
• The daughters of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), Fatima, Ruqayyah, Zainab and Umme Kulthum (may Allah be pleased with them)
• Ebrahim (may Allah be pleased with him), the infant son of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) by Maria al-Qibtiyya
• Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
• Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
• The aunts of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), Safiyyah and Aatikah (may Allah be pleased with them)
• Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), the third Caliph and son-in-law of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
• Haleemah Sa’diya, the wet-nurse of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
• Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him)
• Abdur-Rehman bin Auf (may Allah be pleased with him)
• Abdullah bin Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him)
• Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him)
• Imam Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)

• The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said, “On the day of Qiyamah my grave shall be opened first and I shall step forth. Then shall Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) step forth and then Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Then shall I proceed to Baqi and take all its inmates with me. Then shall we await the inmates of the graveyard of Makkah, who shall meet me halfway between Makkah and Madinah.”[Tirmidhi]
   
• During different times of history many domes and structures were built or rebuilt over many famous graves in Al-Baqi in order to identify the inhabitants. On April 21, 1925, mausoleums, domes and structures in Jannatul Baqi were demolished by the order of King Abdul Aziz Al Saud with the objective of complying with the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) to not cover or build structures over any grave and to prevent people from seeking help from the dead.
   
• It is virtuous to visit Jannatul Baqi (preferably on a Friday) and supplicate to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for all those buried in its noble earth.

Birthplace of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him)

This library, in She’eb Banu Hashim in Makkah is sited on the place where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was born on Monday 12 Rabi’ al-Awwal (April 22, 571 CE), in the Year of the Elephant. His ancestry can be traced back to the Prophet Ebrahim (upon him be peace).

• The Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) father Abdullah died about six months before his birth. He had gone on a trading expedition to Gaza and Syria in the north and on the way back he had lodged with his grandmother’s family in Yathrib (later to be known as Madinah). He became ill, died and was buried there. Thus, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was born an orphan.

• While his mother Aminah was pregnant, she had a dream that a light was emitted from her lower body that illuminated the palaces of Syria. When she went into labour, Shifa bint Amr, the mother of Abdul Rahman bin Auf (may Allah be pleased with her) served as midwife. Abdul Muttalib received the news of his grandson’s birth with joy. He took the newborn to the Ka’bah and invoked Allah’s blessings and thanks. Believing his grandson would grow up to be highly praised, Abdul Muttalib named him Muhammad, which means ‘he who is praised’. In keeping with Arab tradition, he then shaved the baby’s head and afterwards invited his fellow Makkans to a feast.

• According to the report of Abul-Fida, when the people asked Abdul Muttalib as to why he called his grandson Muhammad, preferring it to the names of his forefathers, he replied, “It is because I have a longing that my grandson should be praised and commended by one and all in the world.”

• Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was first nursed by his mother, and then by Umm Ayman, his father’s slave. An Abyssinian (Ethiopian) whose real name was Barakah, she embraced Islam and migrated to Madinah, where she died six months after the Prophet’s death. Barakah (may Allah be pleased with her) thus had the distinction of being the person who knew the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) for the longest period of time.

• Thuwaybah, the slave of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)’s uncle Abu Lahab, also nursed the infant. At that time, Thuwaybah was also nursing her own child, Masrooh, as well as Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib and Abu Salamah bin Abdul Makhzoomi. Hence, these men became foster brothers because they were nursed at the same breast. Thuwaybah suckled the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) for seven days and on the eighth day he was entrusted to Haleemah of the Banu Sa’d clan to bring him up in the desert.

• Certain miraculous events are reported to have occurred at the time the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was born. However, most of them are not authentically related and therefore cannot be relied upon as decisive proof. This includes the narration which relates that some of the galleries of Kisraa’s (the Persian King’s) palace broke-up and collapsed, that the sacred-fire of the Magians, which had been burning for 1000 years in the Temple of Fars died-out and that some of the churches on Lake Saawah (in Syria) collapsed and sank down.

• However, it is authentically related that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said. “I am a result of the supplication of my father Ebrahim (upon him be peace) and the glad-tidings brought by Isa (upon him be peace). And my mother – when she bore me – saw that a light shone out from her, which lit up the palaces in Syria.” [al-Haakim]

Jabal Thawr

Jabal Thawr is the mountain that contains the cave in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) sought refuge for three days and nights from the Quraysh, as they left Makkah and emigrated to Madinah.

• When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived at the cave on Mount Thawr, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) entered first to clear away anything that might injure the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). He found a few holes and stuffed them with pieces of cloth. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) then entered and went to sleep on Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) lap. Suddenly, something stung Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) foot, but he did not twitch, fearing he would wake the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). The pain was so intense that tears began to run down his cheeks and onto the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) face. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) woke up and saw that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in pain. He applied his spittle on the injury and the pain disappeared.

• For three consecutive nights the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) remained hidden in the cave. During this period, Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) son, Abdullah, would pass his nights nearby. The young man would return to Makkah very early in the morning so that the Quraysh had no idea that he had slept elsewhere. Each day in Makkah he collected information about the activities of the Quraysh, and each night went back to Jabl Thawr to inform the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and his father Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

• Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) slave, Amir bin Fuhayra (may Allah be pleased with him), would graze Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) goats near the cave so that both men could drink fresh milk. Early the next morning Amir would drive the goats back to Makkah along the same route that Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) son took, to obscure his footprints.

• When they were inside Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) sent a spider to spin a web from a bush across the entrance to the cave. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) also commanded two doves to fly down between the spider and the tree, make a nest and lay eggs. Meanwhile the Quraysh search party scoured the area south of Makkah where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) where hiding. They came upon the mouth of the cave, and had they looked down while standing at the edge of the cave, they would have surely found the men they were hunting.

• With the Quraysh so close to discovering their hiding place, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) became very tense about the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) safety. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) reassured him, “How can you be apprehensive about two with whom is a third, especially when the third one is Allah?”

• On seeing the spider’s web and dove nest, the Quraysh concluded that no one could have entered the cave and left. Describing this scene the Quran mentions in Surah Taubah: “If ye help not (your leader), (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him, when the Unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion; they two were in the cave, and he said to his companion, “Have no fear, for Allah is with us”: then Allah sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not, and humbled to the depths the word of the Unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted to the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.“ [9:40]

• After three days when they learnt that the search by the Quraysh had petered out they left the cave and headed towards Yathrib (Madinah). Asma (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to them bringing food for the journey. When they were about to start she could find nothing to tie it to their saddles and so she undid her waistband, tore it in two, wore half and tied the food with the other half. This ready solution won her praise from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) who also named her ‘She of the two waistband’. And after that the Muslims knew her by that name.

Jabal Hira

The main picture above shows Jabal Hira (the mountain of Hira), which lies about two miles from the Ka’bah. Near the top is a small cave, a little less than 4 meters in length and a little more than one and a half meters in width. It was here that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) received the first revelations of the Holy Quran during the month of Ramadhan in 610 CE. The mountain is also known as Jabal Noor (the Mountain of Light).

• The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) first began to have revelations in the form of good dreams which came true. Then he began to like solitude. He would go to the cave of Hira and meditate there in solitude for a number of days and nights. He would take provisions with him to stay for an extended period, and when he returned to Khadija (may Allah be pleased with him), he would stock up again and go back to the cave. This was his practice until Truth was revealed to him by an angel while he was in the cave of Hira.

• During Tahajjud time one night, when he was alone in the cave, there came to him an angel in the form of a man. The angel said to him, “Recite!”. “I cannot read”, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) replied. The angel took hold of him a second time and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer. After letting him go, the angel again said, “Recite!”. Again the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) replied “I cannot read”. The angel further embraced him again until he had reached the limit of endurance and said “Recite!” for the third time the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said “I cannot read”. The angel released him and said: “Read in the name of your Lord, the Creator. He Who created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Bounteous. Who taught by the Pen, taught man what he knew not.” [96:1-5]

• This was the first day of his Prophethood and these were the first verses of the Quran revealed to him. He recited these words after the angel, who thereupon left him; and he said; “It was as though the words were written on my heart.” He was very alarmed by the experience and feared that he had become possessed.

• The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) fled from the cave, and when he was halfway down the slope of the mountain he heard a voice above him saying: “O Muhammad, thou art the Messenger of God, and I am Jibraeel (Gabriel)”. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) stood gazing at the angel; then he turned away from him, but whichever way he looked the angel was always there on the horizon, whether it was to the north, east, south or west. Finally the angel turned away. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was terrified and his heart was pounding hard. He returned home to Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) and said,“Cover me!”. Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) covered him and helped him calm down.

• The Quran tells us that the first revelation descended in Ramadan on the ‘Night of Power’.
  “The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed.” [2:185]
  “We have indeed revealed this message during the Night of Power.” [97:1]

Resting place of the Ark of
Prophet Nuh (upon him be peace)

Mount Judi is the resting place of the Ark built by Nuh (upon him be peace) by the command of Allah. It is situated in south-east Turkey, close to the Syrian and Iraqi borders. The Quranic account of the Flood and Noah’s Ark agrees with that given in the Bible, with a few variations. One of these concerns the final resting place of the Ark. According to Genesis, the Ark grounded on the “mountains of Ararat”; while according to Surah 11:44 of the Qur’an, the final resting place of the vessel was called Mount Judi:

“Then the word went forth: “O earth! Swallow up thy water, and O sky! Withhold (thy rain)!” and the water abated, and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: “Away with those who do wrong!” [11:44]

The picture above is believed to be the current remains of the Ark on the mountain.

Site where Prophet Ebrahim
(upon him be peace) was thrown into the fire

This site in Urfa, Turkey is believed to be the place where Ebrahim (upon him be peace) was thrown into the fire by Namrud (Nimrod) for refusing to submit to the worshipping of idols. Close by is a cave where he is said to have been born. Urfa was formerly known as Edessa and was the setting for several battles during the Crusades.

• Note that this incident and the birth of Ebrahim (upon him be peace) is also claimed to be in Ur, in southern Iraq.

Spot where Prophet Sulaiman
(upon him be peace) died

This building, located at the rear end of the Aqsa platform is believed to be the place where the Prophet Sulaiman (upon him be peace) passed away while standing up in prayer and leaning on his cane.

Cave of Ashabe-Kahf (interior)

The main view above shows a section of the interior. The crafted stone blocks are tombs; one of them has a viewing hole through which bones can be seen (inset). The bones of the dog have also been displayed.

• The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was challenged by the Quraysh of Makkah who did not believe in his message to answer three questions passed onto them by the Jews. One of the questions was, “Who were the youth who disappeared, and how many were they?” The Jews knew that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) would only be able to tell the story if he was indeed a prophet.

• The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had no clue and said that he would answer them tomorrow, hoping for the answer to be revealed to him through Jibraeel (upon him be peace) but forgetting to say ’Inshallah’ (if Allah wills). No revelation came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) for 15 days, leading the Quraysh to greatly abuse and revile him.

• The answer, however, was eventually revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in a Surah named after the cave (Al-Kahf) of the sleepers. The Quran revealed the exact story that the Jews knew of, and it answered the questions similarly to the information they had. The Quran confirmed that they slept for 309 years, which the Jews knew of. The Quran however did not give an exact answer as to how many they were. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) revealed:“(Some) will say: They were three, their dog the fourth, and (some) say: Five, their dog the sixth, guessing at random: and (some) say: Seven, and their dog the eighth. Say (O Muhammad): My Lord is best aware of their number. None knowth them save a few. So contend not concerning them except with an outward contending, and ask not any of them to pronounce concerning them.” [18:22]

• The Jews themselves did not know exactly how many there were (whether 3,5 or 7) and were astonished when the Quran gave all the possible numbers they had suspected for the number of sleepers.

Cave of Ashabe-Kahf (exterior)

Cave of Ashabe-Kahf (exterior)

This is regarded as the cave in which a group of pious youths (equated with the Christian legend of the ‘Sleepers of Ephesus’) sought refuge from a tyrannical pagan king and in which Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) caused them to sleep for 300 years. Their story is mentioned in the Holy Quran in Surah Kahf. The cave is located in the suburb of Abu Alanda in Amman.

• In around 250 CE there ruled a Roman king called Daqyanoos (Decius) who would annually hold a gathering dedicated to the worshipping of idols. Many people would attend, dressed in their best clothing. However, one youth believed in the oneness of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), the teachings of Isa (upon him be peace) and shunned pagan worship. He rebelled against the practices that were happening in the society. He attracted another youth and then another to form a small group.

• When the king heard of their rebellion he became very angry and issued a command for them to be killed. In order to save their iman (faith) they fled and went into hiding. On their escape route they met a young farmer who owned a dog; they gave him da’wah, he accepted and decided to also join them. Eventually they came to a cave in which they made dua to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for ease. They decided to take rest there for a while, leaving the dog (named Qitmir) near the entrance as a guard. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) caused them and the dog to sleep for 300 years.

• Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) describes their sleeping in the Holy Quran in Surah Kahf:“And thou wouldst have deemed them waking though they were asleep, and we caused them to turn over to the right and the left, and their dog stretching out his paws on the threshold. If thou hadst observed them closely thou hadst assuredly turned away from them in flight, and hadst been filled with awe of them.” [18:18]

• The Quran further states that the period of time these sleepers spent in the cave was 300 years during which the calendar of their people was changed from solar to lunar and, as a result, the period of their sleep was 309 years. When they woke up, they had no idea they slept for centuries and thought they had only slept a few hours. When they sent one of them to buy food, the shopkeeper was amazed to see such old coins and the reality of the time they had spent in the cave gradually came to light. The present ruling king, whom some scholars have identified as Tandoosees, was a believer who came on foot to see them and seek their blessings. When these young men died they were buried in the cave along with their dog. The bones of these youth and the dog are visible to see inside.

• Apart from Amman in Jordan, the location of the cave is also claimed to be in Turkey. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) knows best.

• To the left of the entrance is an ancient olive tree. At one time a small church was built on top of the cave; this was converted to a mosque with the mihrah still being visible above the entrance.

Minaret of Prophet Isa

Minaret of Prophet Isa (upon him be peace)

This minaret, which is on the left side of the Umayyad Mosque is also known as the Jesus minaret. It is from here that Hazrat Isa (upon him be peace) will descend back to earth towards the end of time.

• Muslims believe that Isa (upon him be peace) did not die on the cross but Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) raised him to heaven and he will return one day to defeat the Dajjal (Anti-Christ). According to a Hadith, he is on the second heaven. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) mentioned, “During the Me’raj (Ascension), I met Isa (upon him be peace) on the second heaven. I found him of medium stature, reddish white. His body was so clean and clear, that it appeared as though he had just performed ghusal (ablution, cleansing of the entire body) and come.” In another Hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) mentioned to the Jews that, ” Hadhrat Isa (upon him be peace) is not dead, he will most surely return to you before Qiyamat (the Day of Judgement).”

• The physical features of Isa (upon him be peace): He will resemble the famous sahabi Urwa bin Masoodi (may Allah be pleased with him). He will be of average height and red and white in colour. His hair will be spread to the shoulders, straight, neat and shining as after a bath. On bending his head, it will seem as if pearls are falling. He will have armour on his body. He will be wearing two pieces of cloth light yellow in colour.

• He will descend on a Jamaat (group) that will be righteous at the time and comprising of 800 men and 400 women. The people will be preparing for war at the time against Dajjal. It will be time for Fajr prayers, and Imam Mahdi will be the Amir (leader) of the Muslims. From the darkness of the dawn, a sound will suddenly be heard that “one who listens to your pleas has come” – the righteous people will look everywhere and their eyes will fall on Isa (upon him be peace). Briefly, at the time of Fajr, Isa (upon him be peace) will descend. When descending, Isa (upon him be peace)’s hands will be on the shoulders of two angels (according to another source (Kab Abrar), a cloud will carry him). On their insistence Isa (upon him be peace) will introduce himself. He will inquire about their enthusiasm and thoughts on Jihad against Dajjal. Isa (upon him be peace) will descend on the eastern side near the minaret in Damascus (or in Baitul-Muqaddus according to another narration). At the time Imam Mahdi will have proceeded forward to lead the Fajr Salaat. The Iqamat of the Salaat will already have been recited and Imam Mahdi will call Isa (upon him be peace) for Imamat (to lead the prayer), but he (Isa (upon him be peace)) will instead tell Imam Mahdi to lead the prayer since the Iqamat of that Salaat has already been said for him. Thus Imam Mahdi will lead the prayer, and Isa (upon him be peace) will follow him. After the ruku, he will make this statement: “Allah has killed Dajjal and the Muslims have appeared.”

• Isa (upon him be peace) will subsequently kill Dajjal and a great era of peace and harmony will come to the world. Isa (upon him be peace) will marry and have children and will live for 19 years after his marriage. He will then pass away and be buried next to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in Majid-e-Nabwi, Madinah.

Well of Prophet Yusuf

Well of Prophet Yusuf
(upon him be peace)

This structure is regarded as being the well in which the brothers of Yusuf (upon him be peace) [Joseph], out of jealousy, threw him inside and from which he was found by a passing caravan and sold as a slave in Egypt. It is known locally as ‘Jubb Yussef’ and is located near Kibbutz Amiad in the Galilee. It consists of a dug-out pit with a diameter of one meter and depth of about four meters, roofed by a cupola supported by four pillars, and surrounded by ancient graves.

• Yusuf (upon him be peace) was the son of Yaqoob (upon him be peace). He had 11 brothers, 10 of whom were older than him. His father loved him dearly which made the other brothers envious and they decided to get rid of him. They took him with them to graze the animals intending to kill him but one of the brothers opposed killing him and said it would be better to throw him into the bottom of a pit (jubb). Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) mentions this in the Quran in Surah Yusuf:“One among them said: Kill not Yusuf but, if ye must be doing, fling him into the depth of the pit; some caravan will find him.” [12:10]

• When Yusuf (upon him be peace) was cast into the pit, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) told him that he, Yusuf, would one day remind his brothers of this incident.“Then, when they led him off, and were of one mind that they should place him in the depth of the pit, We inspired in him: Thou wilt tell them of this deed of theirs when they know (thee) not.” [12:15]

• Years later, when Yusuf (upon him be peace) became the treasurer and inspector of Egypt’s storage chambers he met his brothers again, reminded them of what they had done and forgave them.

• Jubb Yussef is mentioned for the first time in the middle of the 10th century, but the current structure is of a later period. According to evidence of travellers, the pit, which had been 10 meters deep, had held good drinking water up until the 19th century. Afterwards, due perhaps to the earthquake of 1837, the pit collapsed and since then has not been mentioned as a source of water. The pit and cupola were located in a quadrangle which also had a small mosque; this was still mentioned by travellers in the 19th century, though nothing remains of it today.

• In the 12th and 13th century, the Crusaders accepted the Muslim story about the site. In the year 1189, Salahuddin passed through the site on his way to the Siege of Acre.

• There is disagreement as to the exact location of the pit in which Yusuf (upon him be peace) was thrown in. Some commentators have placed it in Jerusalem, while others say it was in Syria. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) knows best.

Dead sea

This is a view of the Dead Sea, a sea of salt which has the West Bank on the left side and Jordan to its right. It is widely believed to be the place where the community of Lut (upon him be peace) was destroyed.

• The worst punishment of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to befall a people was to the community of Lut (upon him be peace). Even today, due to its high salt density, no living organism such as fish or moss can survive in the water.

• The Dead Sea is more than 400 metres below sea level, making it one of the lowest points on earth.

• Some distance from the shore and clearly visible under the surface of the water are the outlines of forests which the extraordinarily high salt content of the Dead Sea preserved.

• Much has been made of the therapeutic and medicinal properties of the minerals and rocks around the Dead Sea. However, as this was a place of great chastisement from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) all use should be strictly avoided.

Tomb of Prophet Lut

Tomb of Prophet Lut
(upon him be peace)

This building houses the tomb of Lut (upon him be peace) [Lot] and is situated in the town of Bani Na’im near the Dead Sea.

• Lut (upon him be peace) [Lot] is mentioned by name 17 times in the Quran; he was the paternal nephew of Ebrahim (upon him be peace).

• Lut (upon him be peace) was sent to the people of Sadoom (Sodom) to call them towards Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). These people indulged in homosexuality, many were criminals and caused corruption in the land. Allah revealed the story of the people of Lut (upon him be peace) in the Quran in Surah Ash-Shu’ara: “The people of Lot (those dwelt in the towns of Sodom in Palestine) belied the Messengers when their brother Lot said to them: ‘Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Verily! I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him, and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it (my message of Islamic monotheism) my reward is only from the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Go you in unto the males of the Alamin (mankind), and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives? Nay, you are a trespassing people!” 
  They said: “If you cease not, O Lot! Verily, you will be one of those who are driven out!” HE said: “I am indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury your (this evil) action (of sodomy). My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do. 
  “So we saved him and his family, all except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained behind.” [26:160-171]

• The people of Sadoom rejected the teachings of Lut (upon him be peace) and were punished by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). His wife was included in the punishment. Jibraeel (upon him be peace), who was in the form of a man, came out in his angelic form to fill the horizon with 700 wings. With the tip of his wing he scraped up the whole town of the people of Lut, raised them up in the sky, then flipped them upside down and smashed them back to the earth. Then Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) sent a rain of stones on them, and every one of them received a stone with his name. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has never combined such a punishment on any people in history. First they were afflicted with a cry; then they were raised up and flipped; then they received missiles from the sky to exterminate them from the earth.

• The major difference between the story of Lut in the Quran and Lot in the Bible is that the Biblical version includes stories of Lot’s incestuous relationship with his daughters. Since Lut (upon him be peace) was sent as a prophet and as all prophets are perfect examples of morality these stories are completely rejected by Muslims.

Maqam of Prophet Musa

Maqam of Prophet Musa
(upon him be peace)

The exact place where Musa (upon him be peace) is buried is unknown but tradition holds that Salahuddin Ayyubi once had a dream where he was shown this spot. He had a mosque built on the site which was further expanded by Sultan Baybars in 1269 CE. The Maqam is located 11km south of Jericho and 20km east of Jerusalem.

• Musa (upon him be peace) is mentioned by name 136 times in the Quran.

• Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said, “ The angel of death was sent to Musa (upon him be peace). When he came to Musa (upon him be peace), Musa (upon him be peace) slapped him on the eye. The angel returned to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and said, ‘You have sent me to a servant who does not want to die’. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) ordered the angel, ‘Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an Ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life’. Musa (upon him be peace) asked, ‘O Lord! What will happen after that’? Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) replied, ‘Then death’. Musa (upon him be peace) decided, ‘Let it be now’. Musa (upon him be peace) then requested Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to let him die close to the Sacred Land (near Masjid al-Aqsa) so much so that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw from it”. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) added, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) then said, “If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road.”

Mosque of Prophet Yunus

Mosque of Prophet Yunus
(upon him be peace)

This mosque houses a tomb believed to be that of Yunus (upon him be peace). The mosque was built by the Ayyubids in 1226 CE and is located in a town called Halhul, north of Hebron. It is built on Mount Nabi Yunus, the highest peak in the West Bank, Palestine.

• Yunus (upon him be peace) is mentioned by name 4 times in the Quran.

• Yunus (upon him be peace) is also addressed by two other surnames “Dhun-Nun” (Lord of the Fish) and “Sahibil-Hot” (Companion of the Fish). The Quran says:“And (mention) Dhun-Nun when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him but he cried out in darkness, saying: There is no god save Thee. Be Thou glorified! Lo! I have been an evil-doer.” [11:87]“But wait thou for thy Lord’s decree and be not like the Sahibil-Hut who cried out in fear.” [68:48]

• When Prophethood was conferred upon Yunus (upon him be peace), he was commanded to go Nineveh for preaching the truth. Nineveh was situated on the right bank of the river Tigris in ancient Assyria, across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, Iraq.

• When Yunus (upon him be peace) departed from his people he stayed at Jaffa in Palestine and boarded a ship to take him to Tirshish, where Tunisia is located today. It was during this journey that he was thrown overboard and swallowed by the fish.

• Ibn Abu Hatim has transmitted a hadith from Rasulullah (peace and blessings of Allah be on him): When Prophet Yunus (upon him be peace) was in the belly of the fish it appeared to him that he should say,“O Allah, there is no God other than You. Glory be to You. Surely I am of the wrongdoers.” [Quran 21:8]

• This prayer is found beneath the Throne. The angels said to Allah, “O Lord! A faint known voice from a strange land (is detected).” He asked them, “Do you not recognise it?”, “No, O Lord. Who is he?”. He said, “My slave, Yunus.”

• Yunus (upon him be peace) is also claimed to be buried in Mosul, Iraq.

Tomb of Rahil

Tomb of Rahil (Rachel)

This structure, located between Bethlehem and Gilo contains the grave of Rahil, one of the wives of Yaqoob (upon him be peace) and the mother of Yusuf (upon him be peace).

• As well as being the mother of Yusuf (upon him be peace), Rahil also gave birth to a second son, Binyamin (Benjamin), but she had a hard labour and died soon after birth. She was buried by Yaqoob (upon him be peace) in the place above.

• This site is considered the third holiest in Judaism, after the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Tombs of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

• ‘Rachel’s Tomb’ is visited by tens of thousands of people every year, especially Jewish women unable to give birth. Many come to visit on the 11th of the Jewish month of Cheshvan, the anniversary of her death. Jewish tradition teaches that Rachel weeps for her children and that when the Jews were taken into exile, she wept as they passed by her grave on the way to Babylonia.

• Believers in Kabbalah sometimes wrap red string around the tomb and then make it into bracelets that serve as talismans.

Tomb of Sarah

Tomb of Sarah (upon her be peace)

This is the tomb of Sarah (upon her be peace), the first wife of Ebrahim (upon him be peace) and the mother of Ishaq (upon him be peace). It is located in the south-east side of Masjid-e-Khalil.

• Prophet Ebrahim (upon him be peace) had attained the age of 100 years and Sarah was 90. They had practically lost all hope of having an issue at this advanced age when an angel came to Ebrahim (upon him be peace)with the happy news of the birth of a wise son, his wife laughed and did not believe it. She remarked that she had passed the age and now it was simply a folly to expect a child. The Quran tells us how this news was imparted to Ebrahim (upon him be peace) and his wife in Surah Hud:
  “And his wife standing by, laughed when We gave her good tidings (of the birth) of Ishaq and after Ishaq of Yaqoob (Jacob). She said: Oh, Woe is me! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman and this my husband is an old man? Lo! this is a strange thing. They said: wonder thou at the Commandment of Allah ? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, 0′ people of the House! Lo! He is Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory.” [11:71-73]

• The Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) was born as Allah willed.

• Sarah (upon her be peace) was the daughter of the paternal uncle of Ebrahim (upon him be peace). It is mentioned in At-Tareef wa Al A’lam by Abu Al-Qasim Al-Suhayli that when Sarah (upon her be peace) died, Ebrahim (upon him be peace) married Qantura, the daughter of Yaqtan and had six children from her; Madyan, Zamran, Sarj, Yaqshan and Nashq while the sixth is not named. He married after her Hajun, daughter of Amin and she gave birth to five children; Kisan, Suraj, Ameem, Lutan and Nafis.

Tomb of Prophet Ishaq

Tomb of Prophet Ishaq
(upon him be peace)

These are the tombs of Ishaq (upon him be peace) (right) and his wife Rifaqah (left) and are directly over their graves which are below ground. These tombs are on the Muslim side, along with Sarah (upon him be peace), one of the wives of Ebrahim (upon him be peace). The tombs of Yaqoob and Yusuf (upon him be peace) are on the Jewish side. Jews and Muslims are allowed to enter the others area for 10 fixed days in a year.

• Ishaq (upon him be peace) is mentioned by name 17 times in the Quran.

• He was born when his father Ebrahim (upon him be peace) was 100 years old, his elder brother Ismail (upon him be peace) 14 years and his mother Sarah (upon him be peace) 90 years old. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) mentions the glad tidings of the birth of Ishaq (upon him be peace) to Ebrahim (upon him be peace) in the Quran in Surah As-Saffat:“And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaq, a Prophet, one of the righteous. And We blessed him and Ishaq. And of their progeny some are good-doers, and some are manifestly wrongdoers to themselves.” [37:112-113]

• The Jews and Christians believe that it was Ishaq (upon him be peace) who was prepared for sacrifice by Ebrahim (upon him be peace) in the al-Aqsa Sanctuary in Jerusalem. The Islamic belief is that it was Ismail (upon him be peace), with the incident happening at Mina, in Saudi Arabia.

• According to the People of the Book, Ishaq (upon him be peace) married Rifaqah (Rebekah), daughter of Batwabil during the lifetime of his father. She was barren and he prayed to Allah for children. His prayer was answered and she gave birth to twin boys, Al-’Ays (Esau) and Yaqoob (Jacob). The former is the parent of the Romans while the latter, also known as Israil, is the forefather of the Banu Israil (Children of Israel).

• When Ishaq (upon him be peace) grew old he lost his eye-sight. He passed away at Hebron at the age of 180 years.

Tomb of Prophet Ebrahim

Tomb of Prophet Ebrahim
(upon him be peace)

This is the tomb of Ebrahim (upon him be peace) which is built directly above his actual grave which is below ground. On the left side is the window from the Jewish synagogue which is built right next to the mosque. This place is a source of great friction between Muslims and Jews and is heavily guarded.

• Ebrahim (upon him be peace) is mentioned by name 69 times in the Quran. He is known as ‘Khalil-ullah’, the friend of Allah. Ebrahim (upon him be peace) is considered the Patriarch of the three great monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

• Almighty Allah has declared in the Quran in Surah al-Imran: “O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you dispute about Abraham, while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have you then no sense? Verily, you are those who have disputed about that of which you have no knowledge. Why do then dispute concerning that which you have no knowledge? It is Allah Who knows, and you know not. Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifan (Islamic Monotheism), to worship none but Allah Alone and he was not of the polytheists (he joined none in worship with Allah). Verily, among mankind who have the best claim to Abraham are those who followed him, and this Prophet (Muhammad) and those who have believed (Muslims). And Allah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers.” [3:65-68]

• Ebrahim (upon him be peace), along with his eldest son Ismail (upon him be peace) rebuilt the Ka’bah in Makkah, carrying the stones with their own hands.

• Yahya bin Said bin al−Musayyub said, “Ebrahim, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the first to give hospitality to the guest and the first person to be circumcised and the first person to trim the moustache and the first person to see grey hair. He said, ‘O Lord! What is this?’ Allah the Blessed, the Exalted, said, ‘It is dignity, Ebrahim.’ He said, ‘lord, increase me in dignity!’ “

• Ebrahim (upon him be peace) died at the age of 175.

Masjid-e-Khalil, Hebron

Masjid-e-Khalil, Hebron

Masjid-e-Khalil in Hebron is built over a small cemetery where lies the graves of four of the most illustrious Prophets and their wives. The four prophets are Ebrahim (upon him be peace), his son Isaaq (upon him be peace), his son Yaqoob (upon him be peace) and his son Yusuf (upon him be peace).

• According to the Book of Genesis in the Bible, the land over which the mosque has been built was bought by Ebrahim (upon him be peace) [Abraham] as a family burial plot after the death of Sarah (upon her be peace) [Sara]. The plot is named as the ‘Cave of Machpelah’ which means cave of the double tombs, referring to the fact that the wives of the Prophets are buried close to them. It is also known as the ‘Cave of the Patriarchs’.

• Some Jews believe that Adam (upon him be peace) and Hawa (upon her be peace) [Eve] are also buried here.

• Almost all of the outer construction which can be seen today was built in the 1st century BC by Herod the Great. Herod’s building did not contain a roof. In 637 CE, the area came under the control of the Muslims and the building was converted to a roofed mosque.

• The Jerusalem geographer al-Muqaddasi, writing in 985 CE described the town as:“In Hebron is a public guest house continuously open, with a cook, a baker and servants in regular attendance. These offer a dish of lentils and olive oil to every poor person who arrives, and it is set before the rich, too, should they wish to partake. Most men express the opinion this is a continuation of the guest house of Abraham, however, it is, in fact from the bequest of the sahabI (companion) of the Prophet Muhammed, Tamim-al Dari and others…. The Amir of Khurasan…has assigned to this charity one thousand dirhams yearly, …al-Shar al-Adil bestowed on it a substantial bequest. At present time I do not know in all the realm of al-Islam any house of hospitality and charity more excellent than this one.”

• The complex was taken by the Crusaders in 1100 CE under Godfrey of Bouillon and became known as the Castle of St. Abraham. Muslims were no longer permitted to enter. It was retaken by the Muslims in 1188 CE under Salahuddin Ayyubi and converted again into a mosque, with Christians still allowed to worship there. Salahuddin also added a minaret at each corner – two of which still survive, and the mimbar (pulpit).

• In 1994, an orthodox Jew, Baruch Goldstein, took a sub machine-gun into the enclosure and killed 29 Palestinian Muslims as well as injuring 125 others, before being killed himself. Bullet holes from the incident can still be seen around the mosque.

• The cemetery underneath the masjid can be viewed from the cupola which is situated opposite the qibla wall.

• The tomb of Yusuf (upon him be peace) is also claimed to be in the Palestinian city of Nablus.

Bab-e-Lud

This structure is situated in the city of Lod, approximately 15 km south-east of Tel Aviv. It will be here than towards the end of times the Prophet Isa (upon him be peace) will destroy Dajjal (the anti-Christ).

The Descension of Isa

The Descension of Isa (Jesus) the son of Mary (a.s)

I have taken the following from 'Islam, Jesus, Mehdi, Qadyanis and Doomsday' by Professor Mohammad Abdullah. In this book the hadith have been summarized into sentences.

• The night will be dark (Muslim) 
• People will be getting ready for war (Muslim)
• In the dark of the morning they will hear someone saying your helper has come. People will be surprised. It is the voice of someone properly fed. (Ahmed)
• Prophet Isa (Jesus) (a.s) will descend at the time of Fajr prayer. (Muslim)
• His both hands (and arms) will be on two angels shoulders. (Muslim)
• He would look like Urwa Masood (r.a) the Companion. (Muslim)
• Height medium. Colour red and white. (Ahmed, Abu Dawood)
• His hair hanging down his shoulders, straight, clean and shining as if after a bath. (Abu Dawood, Bukhari, Ahmed)
• When he bends his head water will (or appear to) twinkle like pearls. (Muslim)
• There will be an armour and (Muammar)
• Two light yellow clothes on the body. (Muslim, Abu Dawood, Ahmed)
• Jesus (a.s.) will descend on eastern white minaret of the Damascus grand Mosque or in Baitul Muqqadas near Imam Mahdi. (Muslim, Tibrani)
• At that time Imam Mahdi would have moved forward to lead the Fajr prayer. (Ibne Majah)
• Iqamah of the Salah (prayer) would have been said (Muslim)
• Imam Mahdi will invite Jesus (a.s.) for leading the prayer but he will turn down the offer and say...(Muslim, Hakim, Ahmed)
• This is an honour of this Ummah (Nation) that some would be leader (Imam) over some. (Muslim, Ahmed)
• When Imam Mahdi will go back, Jesus (a.s.) will put his hand on his back saying him to lead the prayer. (Ibn Majah, Ahmed, Hakim)
• Because the Iqamah has been recited for you (Ibn Majah)
• Imam Mahdi will lead the prayer that time then. (Bukhari, Muslim)

War with Anti-Christ (Dajjal)

• After fajr prayers, Jesus will have the door opened, behind which will be the Dajjal with 70,000 Jews (armed with weapons). (Ibn Majah)
• He will point out with his hands to get away between him and the Dajjal. (Hakim)
• Dajjal will begin to melt on seeing Jesus (a.s.) like salt in water (or fat melts). (Muslim)
• Any Kafir who wil recieve the air of Jesus' breath will die. His breath will reach as far as his sight goes. (Muslim)
• Muslims will get down the mountain and attack Dajjal's army. The Jews will be so frightened that a strong person among them could not lift his weapon.. (Muammar)
• There will be war. (Hakim)
• Dajjal will run away. (Ibn Majah)

Destruction of the Dajjal and Muslim victory

• Jesus (a.s.) will chase him. (Muslim, Ahmed)
• He will kill the Dajjal at Bab-e-Lud in Palestine. (now in Israel) (Tirmizi)
• Jesus will show the blood on the weapon to Muslims. (Muslim)
• His (Dajjal's) companions (the Jews ) will be fiercely defeated. (Ibn Majah, Ahmed)
• From the neighbourhood, those people who survived the atrocities of Dajjal will come to Jesus (a.s.) who will give them the good news of high places in Paradise. (Muslim)
• Then they will return to their homeland. (Ahmed)
• A group of Muslims will stay in his service and company. (Tirmizi)
• Jesus will move to 'Fajjur Rooha', from where he will go to Hajj (and/or Umra.) (Muslim, Ahmed, Hakim)
• He will say "salam" at the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and he will reply to him (Hakim)