Tears strolled down my cheeks and I turned my head to take one last look at Masjid-e-Nabwi as our bus pulled away onto the streets of the beloved city. The days I spent in the city of my Nabi were no doubt the best days of my life. The love I felt elsewhere for Muhammed S.A.W swung in full bloom in his Masjid. “The city” was all around me. I had begun living in that era. I could hear ‘azan-e-Bilali’ ringing in my ears during every azan. I could hear the sahabas working all night with my Nabi in Salman Farsi R.A’s date farm. I didn’t dare walk with my shoes on the soil that the Nabi and his sahabas walked. I could hear the sound of horses hooves in the ground of Uhud and see them fighting for one cause. As I stepped into the cave in which my Nabi took refuge during the battle, I could hear the shouts of sahabas fighting to save their Nabi from any harm. I saw Ayesha and Fatima R.A running around in the battle field to fetch water for the mujahideen. I could feel the tension in the air and heard Mount Uhud crying and weeping for the martyrs.

“This is Uhud, the mountain which loves us and we love it.” Sahih Bukhari Kitabul Hajj Hadith no. 3207.

As I entered Masjid Quba I could feel the enthusiasm my Nabi must have felt when starting a new life in a new city. The apprehension he must have felt leaving his beloved city behind and giving himself up to a new people on the will of Allah.

“A place of worship which was found upon duty (to Allah) from the first day is more worthy that thou shouldst stand (to pray) therein, wherein are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loveth the purifiers.” —Qur’an, 9:108

In Masjid Qiblatain, I felt the gratitude my Nabi and his sahabas must have felt as they turned themselves towards the Kaaba during their salah. I was able to see their faces during their ruku and sajood bright with anticipation to learn about the sudden change.

“We have seen the turning of your face from the sky, so we will direct your towards a qiblah that will please you, so turn your face towards the sacred mosque and wherever you are direct your faces towards it. Those who were given the book know that it is the truth from your lord, and Allah is not unaware of what they do.” —Qur’an,2:144

Needless to say, I was surrounded by “the city”. Everywhere I went I could feel ‘his’ presence. With every step I took, I felt ashamed of walking the same ground as that great man. The feeling was overwhelming. It overcame me. I felt I belonged here. I felt I can never ever be happy anywhere else. How can a person leave this city for anywhere else in the world? How can a person leave this city where showers of ‘rehmat’ can actually be felt for anything in the world? I knew if I was given a choice to live here or leave, I would never leave. But I had no choice. I had to leave. But…

I learnt there were people who had the choice. And they chose to leave.

Abu Ayub Ansari R.A. whose house Muhammed S.A.W preferred to live in over every house in the city chose to leave for Turkey. His grave is now in Istanbul. Bilal R.A whom Muhammed S.A.W called ‘sayyedna’ left for Syria and now rests there. Huzaifa and Jabir bin Abdullah R.A left for Iraq. Graves of 29 great sahabas are found in different parts of Turkey. Saad bin Abi Waqas left for China. He returned to Madina later but left his two companions behind who rest there. These great men’s love for Muhammed S.A.W could not be compared. Who did not let the water of their Nabi’s ablution fall to the ground.  They loved him more than their own selves, their parents and their family. Abu Safyan said,

“By Allah I have never seen before such a people who are most sincere in their love than the companions of Muhammad.”

These great men chose to leave the city of their beloved because they knew they had a mission in their hands.

“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger: many were the Messengers that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then turn back on your heels?  If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve him) with gratitude.—Qur’an, 3:144

They made ‘his’ mission their mission. They took his message and spread all around the world. They had accepted that ‘the land’ and ‘the law’ belonged to Allah alone and they strived to let the world know they meant business. It was because of their life long struggle that during my hajj journey I saw people from those parts of the world, names of which, I never came across. As I saw groups of Hajjaj from China chanting ‘Labaik Allahumma Labaik’, I saw the struggle of Saad bin Abi Waqas behind them. I saw the hard work of Abu Ayub Ansari and other sahabas behind every Turkish man and woman. It was because of Zuhair bin Qais’s struggle that people from North African tribes were also there to pay their obligation.

These great men had a choice. They had a choice to either live in the city of Muhammed S.A.W or live eternally with Muhammed S.A.W. These great men had a choice and they chose wisely.

About the author

Umme Hamza is a teacher and a mother of three. Loves to read English/Urdu literature and poetry.

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