Makkah and Madinah, both are the most important and sacred cities in Saudi Arabia. Both cities are very dear to every Muslim. Every Muslim has a desire to visit these cities, at least once in life. Let`s have a look at the brief history of both countries, one by one.
A Brief History of Makkah:
Makkah Mukarma appeared first time in history, when Hazrat Ibrahim AS left his wife Hazrat Hajra, along with infant Ismael AS, at divine order, in the desert of Makkah, where there was no human population. Hazrat Hajra was all alone in a desert, where there was not a single drop of water to drink, not even a single shady tree to rest beneath it. Hazrat Hajra anxious about infant Ismael`s thirst ran in search of water on the deserted hills of Makkah.
She ran again and again on the hills of Safa and Marwa, at the seventh cycle, she noticed a strange thing. Ismael AS was weeping and crying for water and an under his heels, there was something that was shining in the sunlight. When she came nearer, she was overjoyed to see a water spring, flowing from Ismael AS`s heels. She made a border of stones and sand around that water spring and said the Arabic word Zam Zam, which means, Stop. She then drank water and eat dates to fulfilling her appetite. Slowly Arab desert dwellers started to settle around that spring of water. And a human population started to gather around Ismael AS and Umme Ismael AS.
After that, the whole dysentery of Ismael AS settled there. When Hazrat Ismael AS became a young man, he along with his father, Hazrat Ibrahim AS built Khana Ka`ba, for the first time in history. From that time onwards, Ka`ba has become the center of religious activities for many nations. Before the birth of Hazrat Muhammad SAW, a Roman empire Abraha attacked Makkah. He wanted to demolish Ka`ba. He attacked Ka`ba with an army armed with weapons and boarded elephants. It was impossible for the people of Makkah to defend their city. At that moment of turmoil, Allah Almighty saved the center of his worship little swallows. Those swallows picked pebbles in their beaks and threw the pebbles at Roman soldiers. The emperor and his complete army changed into straws and debris.
At the arrival of Hazrat Muhammad, SAW Makkah was the home to the infidels as well as the newly converting Muslims. Muslims bore too many difficulties and hardships there. The early thirteen years of Islam were too much difficult for Muslims. There were 360 idols erected in Ka`ba. Ka`ba was the of turmoil and anxiety, Allah Almighty ordered Muslims to migrate to Madinah.
After ten years of the migration of Madinah and the conquest of Makkah, Makkah becomes a completely Muslim town. Allah Almighty ordered Rasool e Akram SAW to evacuate all the infidels from Makkah and Madinah. After that time Makkah and Madinah, both collectively called Al Haramain Al`shareefain, means sacred to most cities on the face of the earth. Hajj is one of the basic pillars of Islam. This event is held at Makkah Mukarrama, in the Khana Ka`ba. Millions of Muslims, from all over the world, gathered there, every year to perform the hajj. It is one of the largest crowds in the world. Makkah has maintained her central position from the conquest of Makkah till today.
History of Madina:
Madina was Yathrib before the arrival of Hazrat Muhammad SAW, a place of diseases and turmoil. It is stated by historians that there was a Roman emperor, named Tub`aa Himyeri. A long time before the arrival of Hazrat Muhammad SAW. He was a Christian by religion. He has read about in his religious scriptures the arrival of the last prophet of Allah Almighty. He read that the prophet will visit Yathrib. He traveled to Yathrib and built a house for the final messenger of Allah Almighty. And it is said that the house, where Rasool e Akram SAW stayed after the migration of Madinah, which belonged to Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari, was the same house, built by that emperor. Yathrib appeared in history for the first time, when some people came from Yathrib to embrace Islam. When the turmoil and troubles of Muslims raised day by day, Allah Almighty ordered Hazrat Muhammad SAW to migrate to Yathrib, along with their companions. When Muslims came there in the companionship of the Messenger of Allah, the Yathrib turned into Madina e Munawwarah, the brightest city. Before the arrival of Muslims, there lived two main tribes, Oas and Khazraj along with a large number of Jews. These Jews often told the people of Madinah that they were waiting for the Last messenger of Allah. But when Rasool e Akram SAW came with the claim of being the last messenger of Allah, the Jews became His SAW`s greatest enemies, the reason being Hazrat Muhammad SAW belonged to Bani Ismael and they were waiting for the messenger of Allah from Bani Israel. Hazrat Muhammad SAW made a central government in Madinah. Firstly, He SAW bore all the conspiracies and mis chives of Jews with patience. But when all this crossed all the limits, He SAW evacuated all the Jews from Madinah.
After the conquest of Makkah, the people of Madinah were a bit anxious about Rasool SAW`s love for Makkah. They thought that Rasool e Akram SAW, might shift again to Makkah. But Nabi SAW not only retained Madinah as the center of the Muslim state, but He SAW lived His remaining life in Madinah, and also His tomb is there in Madinah Munawwara. Madinah is the dearest city of every Muslim.