Madinah Ziyarat Guide

Ziyarat is an Arabic word which means to “visit” and has been used to visit the graves of the most pious people of Islamic history, especially Prophet Muhammad SAWW. A complete guide on Ziyarat will be provided to you here so that with this knowledge you can visit the beautiful and peaceful city of Madina.
The city of Madina was chosen by the Almighty as a host city which has the heart to welcome each and everyone who wants to enter it. It has the honor to welcome Prophet Muhammad SAWW and being his SAWW second homeland after migration. Madinah’s full name is Madina al Munawra which means the “gleaming city”. The city is also referred as Madina an- Nabwi SAWW or town of Prophet. The Ziyarat to the city of Prophet SAWW can be summarized as follows;
While paying Ziyarat to Prophet Muhammad’s SAWW grave, intention should be made only and only to Allah and not tot Prophet Muhammad SAWW. He SAWW is noblest of all and is truly honorable personality but he SAWW is a human being and also the worships are only for Allah and not for anyone else. If someone does not make his intention towards Allah, his worship might get dented.
 While paying umrah with Ziyarat to Roza Mubarak (Prophet Muhammad’s SAWW grave), reciting Salawat with full concentration is recommended. It is recommended that reading Salawat as much as possible is Afzal even you do not supplicate or pray any other thing.
In your way to Madina, the longing becomes more longed and passion and excitement to see the Roza Mubarak SAWW is harder to explain. In such a situation reading praise, poetry or historic book pertaining to the life of Prophet Muhammad SAWW will work best to compensate your longing. After completing the journey and entering into the hotel you are staying, go to your room, take shower, wore new clothes and if have then apply some perfume which should be non-alcoholic.
Charity should be given as it is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad SAWW. It can be given to anyone either to the local resident of Madina or anyone else. It should be kept in mind that charity should be given before entering the mosque (Masjid e Nabwi SAWW)
Makin your entrance inside Masjid e Nabwi SAWW from any of the entrance but if possible then it is more Afzal to enter from Bab e Jibrael. Inside the mosque offer two rakats Tahiyatul Masjid in the area known as Roza. If it is not yet the time of the Farz prayers, then pay visit to the Roza Rasul SAWW which is situated somewhat in between pulpit and the tomb of Prophet Muhammad SAWW. If you have the fear that you’re Farz Salat might get Qaza, then offer the prayer first. In this case do not engage in Tahiyatul Masjid. If you have left to prayer the Farz Salat and offer Tahiyatul Majid, then it will be rendered.  The place is referred as Roza because it is present between the pulpit (Mimbar) and the grave and therefore referred as garden Paradise. Roza means “garden”. The place area of the Roza Mubarak is easy to differentiate by other areas as it has greenish/ bluish color carpet which is different from other carpets lying inside the mosque. Because of the limited space available, pilgrims should have to wait patiently standing in queue for their turn as all of the pilgrims have a strong desire to visit the Roza. Usually a barrier around Roza Mubarak is placed by the security officials so that any kind of harm can be avoided. If one has the chance to be here, then make it sure to humbly pray and recite supplications and then leave towards the tomb of Prophet Muhammad SAWW.
The Prophet Muhammad’s SAWW grave is adjacent to area where Hazrat Abu Bakr RA and Hazrat Umar ibn Khattab RA are buried. That is why they are called the companions of the Prophet SAWW who are with him even after this life. Here, the queue is not usually long so you can have your turn on little patience. Here one should take care about the manners and say his greetings to the Prophet Muhammad SAWW. A special supplication is recited by almost all the pilgrims who visited the Grave of Prophet Muhammad SAWW. Some of the things and gestures that you have to be careful about are; do not cast your gaze all over, do not make Sajda, do not stand too closely to the Holy grave, do not kiss it, do not raise your voice, elicit the attitude that is the most humble and prestigious. The salaam should be paid in neither to slow nor to loud voice.
After that, pray to the Almighty and then also pay Ziyarat to the graves of Hazrat Abu Bakr RA and Hazrat Umar ibn Khattab RA and supplicate as well.
In the end, before leaving, it is good to pray Nafl prayers as much as possible in Roza. After it, go to the Prophet’s SWW tomb, pay greetings and pray to the Almighty for the health, wealth and prosperity that you want in your life. Also pray for your Hajj or Umrah that you have just performed to be accepted and that Allah may give you honor in the future to visit these sacred places again.

10 Greatest Warriors of Islam Ever

      

 Muhammad ﷺ

Muhammad ﷺ is the last Prophet ﷺ send by Allah Almighty to guide the mankind. Without any doubt he was a great man and warrior as this universe is made for Him. No lists of Great Islamic warriors are complete without mentioning the name of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. considering His effectiveness in devastating His enemies, He ﷺ might just have been the greatest military leader of all time. He was born into the most honorable tribe of Makkah and later He ﷺ was at war with his own tribe where he was born into including all of their allies. All the initial days of Islam there were only few Muslims and it was a big deal to fight against the most powerful people of Arab. But He ﷺ was able to outwit them at every turn and form relationships with other influential Arab tribes. He was a noble man, to give the lesson of mercy to His followers, after crushing their enemies He ﷺ forgive them or show great mercy towards them. Prophet ﷺ was no doubt the greatest warrior in Islamic History.

·        Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه‎

Hazrat Ali Ra was the son in law of great Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He was also a great warrior and famous for his bravery. Ali رضي الله عنه‎. Known for being the mightiest and bravest among the Islamic warriors ever. In early days of Islam when there are countless enemies, Islam needs military skill to survive against strong and powerful enemies. They would raid traveling caravans for supplies and personal experience. This was how Ali رضي الله عنه‎ learned his battle or military skills as he was involved in most of them. In the most battles of that time period he was involved and experienced many battle fields. He was very brave and due to his bravery he earned the title of Saif u Allah from Holy Prophet ﷺ.  For his matchless effort and bravery he was selected the First Caliph to succeed Muhammad ﷺ.

·        Nadir Shah

Nadir Shah was the Persian Shah, he ruled from 1736 to 1747. In Iranian history he is remembered as one of the greatest military tacticians. And due to his great skills he extends to the point where many see him as the Iranian Napoleon. He expanded his country border to stretch over almost all of the Middle East, with a series of successful military campaigns. But unfortunately his military genius proved to be his downfall. Because he spends too much money on wars and his empire expanded too fast for its economy to handle.

·        Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan is the name which needs no introduction. He was the Sultan of Indian Kingdom during the late 18^th century. He was such a great and respectful leader that Napoleons approached him for help in fighting the British. This apposite the Tipu well as he was lifelong enemy of the British east India Company. He is notorious for using rocket weaponry against the British during the Anglo-Mysore war. But this war ended as a complete disaster for him and he died in this battle.

·        Mehmed The Conquer

Mehmed is illustrious as the man who captured Constantinople. To conquer the Constantinople is a great deal because Constantinople was the most vital city of the Roman Empire so, conquering this city even shock the whole Europe. He was a great planner and warrior he surrounded the city with the aim of blocking any supplies or help from its allies. And then he took the advantage of the superior ottoman technology to bombard the city. The ottoman became notorious for the use of gigantic cannons. The thing that makes him more impressive and effective is that he done all this at the young age of 21.

·        Muhammad Bin Qasim

Muhammad Bin Qasim was the famous general during the period in which Islam was spreading to south and central Asia. He conquers many vital regions during his life which includes Pakistan. His enemy was a Hindu king, the king’s subjects were mostly Buddhist who hated their king and this weakened his position. Many of the allies of king were actually defected to the Muslim side. He was devoted warrior and led the army which was supremely confident that their God is only one. He also has weapons better than Hindu side. All these factors lead him to rise as one of the greatest warriors of Islam ever. 

·        Abd-el-Karim

Abd-el-Karim was one of the great warriors ever who has such an efficient military commander that he inspired many of the future revolutionaries including Chairman Mao, Che Guevara and many other Islamic warriors who follow his footsteps. He was a North-African Muslim who fought into war against the Spanish and French governments. He fought the war in times when it was not good to be indulged in war with Europeans. But he seems to fight quite well for a while but unfortunately he was forced to surrender. And after he lost he was exiled to an Indian ocean’s island. But one can clearly understand that European were scared of him and exiled him to the tiny island as they still consider him to be a genuine threat.

·        Osman I

He was the leader of the group of Islamic warriors who found the Ottoman Empire. After his discovery the Ottoman Empire grew rapidly and stood for over 6 centuries but met its demise after the First World War. Osman I was the leader of the tribe who decided to establish a Kingdom. In this time he took advantage of great Islamic warriors fleeing the encroaching Mongol hoards, he also took advantage of declining power of Roman Empire and jump to seize more and more of their territory. And this chain of events lead the Ottoman Empire almost everything that was once Byzantine land.

·        Malik Ambar

Malik Ambar was an incredible man, his story is not ordinary. He was sold into slavery as a child but eventually he became one of the most successful military commander in India. His parents sold him to Islamic traders in India and when he grew older he gathered his own army. He made a career out of warfare. He was made Prime Minister of India once. He was renowned for his battles against Mughal Empire.

·        Salahu-din-Ayyubi

Salahu-din-Ayyubi was the one who led the Muslim pushback against the European power during their third crusade. His full name was An-Nasir Salahu-din Yusuf ibn Ayyubi, but commonly known as Salahu-din-Ayyubi. He was the king of both Syria and Egypt. He has a great ability to bring separate Muslim communities together so that a combined pushback was possible. He donates most of his wealth to charity before his death. He teaches to its warriors that Islamic warriors must be charitable and merciful.

Ways To Become a Good Muslim

To be a good Muslim the very first thing you have to know is the difference between Islam and other religions. When one wants to compare two things and to know which one is best between the two, he makes an evaluation between the two. The difference between Islam and the other religions is that it is more than just a religion. Islam is basically a code of life; a way to straighten up the life of a person. One of the most effective is Perform Umrah.
The utmost goal of a Muslim is to please his Lord. He wants to do thing that are lovable by the Allah Almighty and wants to reject those that are prohibited to do in Shariah. Muslims can do that by following the path and Sunnah of Holy Prophet SAWW. It is clearly stated in the Holy Quran that whatever the Holy Prophet SAWW did in his life you have to imitate that to become successful in your life. The Holy Quran states;
“Whatever Holy Prophet SAWW gives you, take it and whatever he SAWW prohibited you to do, do not do that”.
A true Muslim always want to achieve the piety and righteousness and don’t want to follow the wealth and worldly life because each and every Muslim know that this world and these materialistic things remain to be there and we will have to leave this world no matter what. One day this world will be destroyed and then an endless after life will begin. Those who had been good to others will be awarded an entry to Jannah at the Day of Judgment and those who had done bad deeds in this world will face the wrath of the Almighty.
Islam is not a religion that is done by simply worshiping at some specific occasions or special ceremonies. It is something that is elicited in our all actions, deeds and thoughts. Islam is the only religion in the Whole world that preaches to firstly become a good human instead of becoming a good Muslim because a good human will only be able to become a good Muslim. It is because of the fact that Islam is the religion of nature and life. Its rules and schemes are in accordance to the ease and troubles of the people living in this world. Making the acts of worship, Praying all day, making supplication, fasting and performing other Islamic rituals is not what the religion wants form a Muslim. Islam is the universal religion which wants form its people to fairly divide his time between world and religion. But, one thing is for sure that you have to be honest and pious even at the time dealing with the worldly matters. We must follow the following habits in order to keep ourselves in the list of good Muslims.

• Make it a regular habit to pray 5 times in a day. It won’t take totally more than an hour because prayer is the very step to avoid the evil. Prayer or Salaat is said to be the key to Jannah. Holy Prophet SAWW said; “Salaat is the borderline between a believer and a non- believer.” It is said in the Holy Quran; “Therefore remember Me (by glorifying), I will remember you and be greatful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me”. 
• Recitation of Quran Kareem must be made a habit. The Holy Book is the source of guidance for the Muslims and there is not even a single problem’s solution which is not present in the Holy Quran. Recite the Quran in the part of your day that you dedicated to read it. Also, try to read it with translation so that you can know the true meaning of the text. 
• Make sure to do some charity and never hesitate to pay the Zakat that is obligatory on you if you are capable to give it. It is clearly said in the Holy Quran that those who did not give Zakat will face the rage of their Lord at the Day of Judgment. 
• Despite of wasting your time on useless activities, try to recite Durood Shareef whenever you have free time. The Fazeelat of reciting Durood Shareef is beyond imagination of a person. It is also the only deed in the world by doing which the virtues keep on adding up and the sins keep on subtracting from the Amaal- Nama of a person. Once angle Jibrael AS came to Holy Prophet and said; “Curse upon the one who get the month of Ramadhan and did not be forgiven by the Allah Almighty”, the Holy Prophet said; “Ameen”. Then he said; “Curse upon the one in front of whom the name of Holy Prophet SAWW is taken and he do not send Durood on hearing His’s SAWW name”, the Holy Prophet SAWW said again “Ameen”. Then he said; “Curse upon the one who has his parents alive and he did not make himself to gain Jannah” the Prophet then said “Ameen” for the third time. 
• Islam is the religion of ease and balance. It orders us to avoid being on extremes. Fasting every day and reciting the Holy Quran in one sitting probably be empting but the practice is not encouraged by the Holy Prophet SAWW. It is said by the Prophet Muhammad SAWW that; “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not choose to be extremists”. 
• Try to make friends in the Muslim community because your company shadows you a lot and gradually you seem to be start imitating the material that your group tends to do. It is also mentioned in hadith to make a company with people that believe on righteousness and are true believers. It is said in a hadith; 

“True Muslim is the one who love for the sake of Allah Almighty, who hate for the sake of Allah Almighty, who tends to prohibit others to do anything for the sake of Allah Almighty and who tends to order others to do something only for the sake of Allah Almighty.” As a Muslim the love for Holy Prophet SAWW is the part of Emaan of a Muslim. Holy Quran says; “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (to meet Allah) and the Day of Judgement (the last day) and remember Allah much”. So the love and hate any emotion should be for Allah so that by following the commands of the Allah Almighty we may be sent to the path that leads to Jannah.

Types of Tawaf

The word Tawaf is Arabic word which means “circling”. Tawaf is referred as a gesture performed by circling around the Kabah Shareef. Going around the Kabah in circles seven times in a definite manner ending with a prayer is referred as Tawaf. Tawaf is an obligatory ritual performed at the time of performance of Hajj and Umrah both. Ibn Abbas narrated that Holy Prophet Muhammad SAWW said that;

“Every day Almighty descends a hundred and twenty folds of his mercy to his slaves who perform Hajj. Sixty folds of these are specified for people performing Tawaf, forty fold for the one who pray there and twenty for those who took at the Kabah.”

 Tawaf is done by standing before the indicator line and do not crossing the line. One thing should be noted that Tawaf will always be done in a clockwise direction. In order to do that, one has to stand with the pilgrim’s right side facing Kabah. The Talbiyah or saying Labbaik that a pilgrim was doing before starting Tawaf should be stopped at the time when one began doing Tawaf.  Pilgrims must remove the clothing from their right shoulder and bring it under the armpit to put over the left shoulder. The right shoulder should be opened only when you are in Ihram. The position of a pilgrim is known as Izhthifa. The most important in doing Tawaf is his or her intentions. The pilgrims must think like;

 “O Almighty! I am doing my Tawaf of seven rounds around Baitullah. With your kindness, make it easier for me and accept my Tawaf.”

Touching of Black Stone:

The touching of Black Stone is a necessary ritual during the performance of Hajj and Umrah. Black Stone is known as the Stone form Jannah and it is believed that the color of this Stone was initially white but due to the sins of its touchers the stone eventually gets black. Black Stone should be touch by the ones performing Hajj or Umrah. The process of turning towards Hajra Ul Aswad and touching it by both of your hands and kissing it without making sound is a notorious part of the obligation. If one cannot reach to the Black Stone then pushing others and making your way in that manner is not appropriate. One should patiently wait for the turn or if it seems to be impossible then pilgrim can also make sign of touching it from a distance as through you are touching it and then kiss your hands. The process of making a sign of touching Black stone from far away is known as Isthilam. Isthilam or practically touching Hajra Al Aswad after every round in seven rounds during Tawaf is mandatory on a pilgrim.   

Types of Tawaf:

There are seven types of Tawaf and all of them are performed by the pilgrims. They are:

·         Tawaf Qudoom:

“Qudoom” is Arabic word meaning “arrival”. The Tawaf is said to be Tawaf Qudoom because it is performed when the pilgrims first arrived at the Kabah Shareef. During the performance of Tawaf Qudoom, the pilgrims have to wear Ihram and Idtiba and Raml are observed also. The Tawaf is similar in its performance to that of Tawaf al Umrah but the difference between the two is of intentions.

·         Tawaf Nazr:

Tawaf Nazr is Wajib or mandatory on those who make a promise or Nazr that they will perform Tawaf. This type of Tawaf is necessary to perform if one makes promise to perform it.

·         Tawaf Ziyaarat:

 ziyarat is Arabic word meaning “to see”. This Tawaf is also known as Tawaf al Ifadah. It is done after the standing in Arafat. The Tawaf Ziyaarat is performed at the day of Eid ul Adha and is one of the essential ritual among the other rituals performed at the time of Hajj. The Tawaf is necessary at the time of performance of Hajj and without it the Hajj would not be valid or completed.

·         Tawaf Umrah:

as the name is suggesting, this Tawaf is made at the time of performance of Umrah.

·         Tawaf Sadr:

Tawaf Sadr is also called Tawaf Rukhsat or Tawaf Wadaa. This type of Tawaf is Wajib. The time to perform Tawaf Sadr starts after the Tawaf Ziyarah and there is no end time for this, you can perform it any time after Tawaf Ziyarah. However it is Afdhal to perform it while leaving Makkah.

·         Tawaf Tahiyaah:

This type of Tawaf is commendable or Mustahab for the pilgrims who enter Masjid Haram.

·         Tawaf Nafl:

Also known as voluntary Tawaf. Each one of these tawafs must contain seven rounds, after which the pilgrim endeavors tow units behind Maqaam e Ibrahim if it is convenient for the performer. If it is not easy for the pilgrim, then he may offer the prayer in any other part of the mosque. Nafl Tawaf can also be performed for other people, for the one who are disable or are not able to perform the holy journey on their own due to some genuine Shari reason.

·         Tawaf Al Wida:

The word Wida means “farewell”. The Tawaf is said to be Wida Tawaf because it is performed after completing the other rituals of Hajj and when one has decided to leave the Holy city Makkah. The performance of this Tawaf is mandatory because it is sort of paying an honored goodbye to the Allah Almighty, to his Prophet Muhammad SAWW and also to the sacred city Makkah Mukarrama. Except of some conditions the performance of Tawaf al Wida is Wajib on each and every pilgrim who has visited Kabah.

Pakistani Resturants in Madinah.

There are a number of restaurants pertaining to different cultures and countries. These restaurants pertaining to a specific and peculiar culture represents the special cuisines. Like these restaurants there are a number of Pakistani restaurants in Madinah endeavoring gusto foods to their customers especially the one from Pakistan visiting the Madinah city for numerous purposes. A number of people visit Madinah Munawara for the sake to fulfill their holy Umrah and Hajj trip. with best hajj and umrah packages. Some of the very famous ones are as follows;

·        Islamabad Restaurant:

This restaurant named after the capital of Pakistan represents the true face of the country. The restaurant is situated in An Naqa, Madinah. The restaurant is notorious amongst the customers that are truly the admirers of typical Pakistani food. The great and tasty food and very reasonable price makes it worthy to visit. Especially the Muslims from Pakistan during Hajj and Umrah not only visits and dine in with family but also the food is great for take away. The restaurant is next to the hotels used by the pilgrims for stay so it is much more convenient for the pilgrims to have a divine food in a short period of time. Halwa Puri, chicken Biryani, Salads, Naan and similar typical Pakistani meals are at the top of list.

·        At-Tabaq:

At-Tabaq is a Pakistani restaurant offering Halal food situated in Sayyed-u-Shuhaddah. The restaurant is situated at about 12 minutes’ drive from the Haram Sharif but is only accessible by car. You can go to the restaurant by driving and can also order the food to your place. The restaurant offers a variety of different cuisines including Pakistani, Middle Eastern and Chinese but of course their specialty is Pakistani cuisine. Soups, curries and grilled items are popular among customers.

·        Tayaba Restaurant:

The restaurant is situated near Ohud and is known for its tasty food with a reasonable price. The place is known among customers not only for its gusto Pakistani food but it also endeavors a wide and a fine variety of Indian foods. The specialty of the restaurant includes mutton leg, steamed chicken, kababs, chicken handi and mutton handi. The only drawback is that they don’t deliver to Haram hotels but you can enjoy a food by going over there.

·        Al Jamil Restaurant:

The restaurant is located at King Fahad Road. You can go there from opposite side of the holy Hara to avoid traffic. It is known for bestowing all kinds of Pakistani typical food including chicken and mutton handi, spicy daals, traditional rice like biryani and pulao, barbeque and hot and steamy naan and chapatti. There is a good range of food on the menu which is suitable for everyone who likes Middle Eastern food, some hot and some mild. The restaurant is best to dine in with family because of its excellent service, trained staff and the best desi style Pakistani food.

·        Nirala Taibah Restaurant:

The restaurant is situated at Sayyed Al Shuhaddah Road in Madinah. Most of the people staying in hotels of Haram Sharif, who are in the holy trip of Hajj and Umrah, like to have a typical desi heavy Pakistani breakfast from Nirala Restaurant. The breakfast, lunch and dinner endeavored by the restaurant is all good but Halwa Puri, Nihari, Murgh Cholay, Parathy and Daal can be said as the most alluring items on the menu. The restaurant is new though therefore it is very clean and the staff is very kind and professional. The prices of these delicious meals are very much affordable and overall it will be a good experience to visit this Pakistani restaurant.

·        Karachi Restaurant:

The restaurant is known to be one of the best restaurants in Madinah that provides a typical Pakistani food especially depicting the emblematic Sindhi cuisine. The restaurant is situated on a walking distance from Haram Sharif. The attentive staff with a prompt able service is always admired by the customers. Also customers are treated with equally friendliness and overall the place is nice and clean. The Karachi biryani can be referred as the signature dish of the restaurant because this biryani has the typical taste of that biryani in Karachi. Not only biryani but also the mutton pulao is liked and ordered by many   customers. The place can be much more suitable for the people who used to eat a lot of spice because the food is delicious but is a bit spicy. The sheermaal (Pakistani sweet bread) is ordered heavily by the customers especially in breakfast because there are very few places in Madinah that offers this kind of typical items.

·        Mehran Restaurant:

It’s a subcontinent food restaurant and is a perfect place to visit. The restaurant is nice, tidy and the food is hygienic and healthy and is served with true hospitality. The multiple dishes in the menu in the menu make it easy to order the meal of your choice. This hotel is very old in Madinah and is keeping running because of its good quality food.

·        Sahar Restaurant:

The restaurant is situated in Al Masani in Madinah and is one of the best choices to eat with your family every time when you think to eat outside. The atmosphere of the restaurant is and staff is polite. The food is delicious and you will not regret money you would have paid.

·        Rawafid Taiba Pakistani Restaurant:

The restaurant is situated in Al Masani, Madinah and is open from 6am to 12am. The restaurant is famous for its good Pakistani food especially the typical karahis have a good blend of spice, free roti alongside the dishes you order and great services from waiters. The restaurant has a family area for more privacy for families.