Riyāḍ al-Jannah (The Garden of Paradise) – اﻟﺟﻧﺔ رﯾﺎض

Riyāḍ al-Jannah is one of the holiest spots on Earth. It lies between the Minbar of the Prophet

ﷺ and his blessed house, which is now part of the Sacred Chamber. The Prophet ﷺ said:

ﻣَﺎ ﺑَﯾْنَ ﺑَﯾْﺗِﻲ وَﻣِﻧْﺑَرِي رَوْﺿَﺔٌ ﻣِنْ رِﯾَﺎضِ اﻟْﺟَ ﱠﻧﺔِ

“What is between my house and my pulpit is a garden from the gardens of Paradise.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari – 1196, Sahih Muslim – 1391)

This area is called Riyāḍ al-Jannah, and visiting it with love and humility is among the most desired experiences for every Muslim. It is covered with green carpet and is known for its serene spirituality.

 Musalla of the Prophet ﷺ (Prayer Spot of Rasulullah ﷺ)

Within Riyāḍ al-Jannah is the Musalla – the exact place where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to lead prayers. It’s a spot of immense barakah. Though not marked for individual prayer, people try to pray around it due to its closeness to the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ.

 Tip for Visitors: Offer two rak’ahs with the intention of Tahiyyatul Masjid and make heartfelt du‘ā. It is a place where prayers are believed to be accepted, by Allah’s mercy.

 Minbar al-Rasool اﻟرﺳول ﻣﻧﺑر – ﷺ

This is the Pulpit of the Prophet ﷺ, originally made from date-palm wood, and later enhanced by the Caliphs for preservation. The Prophet ﷺ used it to deliver Jumu‘ah khutbah, teach the Companions, and address the Muslim ummah.

It was on this minbar that he ﷺ taught the core principles of Islam.

Hadith:

إِ ﱠﻧﮫُ ﻟَﯾَﺧْﺗَﻠِفُ إِﻟَ ﱠﻲ ﻣِﻧْﺑَرِي ھَذَا أُﻣَمٌ ﯾَوْمَ اﻟْﻘِﯾَﺎﻣَﺔِ

“Nations will come to this my pulpit on the Day of Judgment.”

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3610)

The love for the Prophet ﷺ and his Minbar shows our love for his Sunnah and his message.

أﻋﻣدة اﻟﻣﺳﺟد اﻟﻧﺑوي اﻟﻣﺑﺎرﻛﺔ – Blessings of Pillars

Inside Masjid Nabawi are blessed pillars, many with rich history. These pillars are not just architectural; they are spiritually significant, each linked to an event from the Prophet’s life or a noble Companion.

1.  Ustuwānah Ḥanānah (Pillar of the Weeping Tree) – اﻟﺣﻧﺎﻧﺔ اﺳطواﻧﺔ

This is where the trunk of the palm tree used to stand, which the Prophet ﷺ would lean on while delivering khutbah. When a proper minbar was made, the trunk wept for the Prophet ﷺ.

ﻓَﺳَﻣِﻊَ ﻟَﮭَﺎ أَﻧِﯾنَ ﻛَﺄَ ﱠﻧﮫُ أَﻧِﯾنُ اﻟ ﱠﺻﺑِ ﱢﻲ ﺣَ ﱠﺗﻰ ﻧَزَلَ اﻟ ﱠﻧﺑِ ﱡﻲ ﺻَ ﱠﻠﻰ ُﷲ ﻋَﻠَﯾْﮫِ وَﺳَ ﱠﻠمَ ﻓَﺿَ ﱠﻣﮭَﺎ إِﻟَﯾْﮫِ

“We heard the trunk crying like a child until the Prophet ﷺ came down and embraced it.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari – 3583)

2. Ustuwānah ‘Ā’ishah – ﻋﺎﺋﺷﺔ اﺳطواﻧﺔ

Reportedly, ʿĀ’ishah ﻋﻧﮭﺎ ﷲ رﺿﻲ pointed to this place and said that the Prophet ﷺ used to

pray here often. It is a place where du‘ā is accepted.

3.  Ustuwānah al-Wufūd (Pillar of the Delegations) – اﻟوﻓود اﺳطواﻧﺔ

This is where the Prophet ﷺ would receive delegations from various tribes. They would embrace Islam and pledge allegiance here.

4.  Ustuwānah al-Ḥirs (Pillar of Guarding) – اﻟﺣرس اﺳطواﻧﺔ

Sayyiduna Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas ﻋﻧﮫ ﷲ رﺿﻲ stood here guarding the Prophet ﷺ during the early days when there was fear of attack.

5.  Ustuwānah al-Sarīr (Pillar of the Bed) – اﻟﺳرﯾر اﺳطواﻧﺔ

Near this pillar was the place the Prophet ﷺ would sometimes rest on a mat or bed during I‘tikāf.

6.  Ustuwānah Abī Lubābah – ﻟﺑﺎﺑﺔ أﺑﻲ اﺳطواﻧﺔ

This pillar marks where Abu Lubabah ﻋﻧﮫ ﷲ رﺿﻲ tied himself to repent for a mistake. The Prophet ﷺ only untied him after Allah revealed his forgiveness (Surah At-Tawbah: 102).

 Miḥrāb ‘Uthmānī – ﻋﺛﻣﺎﻧﻲ ﻣﺣراب

This is the main mihrab where the Imam leads Salah today. It was first established during the caliphate of Uthmān ibn ‘Affān ﻋﻧﮫ ﷲ رﺿﻲ and is still in use.

 Green Dome (اﻟﺧﺿراء اﻟﻘﺑﺔ)

The Green Dome marks the location of the Sacred Chamber (Hujrah Sharifah) where the Prophet ﷺ is buried alongside Abu Bakr and Umar ﻋﻧﮭﻣﺎ ﷲ رﺿﻲ. Originally plain, the dome was painted green centuries later.

Let’s remember:

ﻗُلْ إِن ﻛُﻧﺗُمْ ﺗُﺣِ ﱡﺑونَ ﱠَﷲ ﻓَﺎ ﱠﺗﺑِﻌُوﻧِﻲ ﯾُﺣْﺑِﺑْﻛُمُ ﱠُﷲ

“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you.”

(Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:31)

ﻣﻛﺎن اﻟﺻﻼة ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺟﻧﺎزة – Gāh Janāzah

This is the place where funeral prayers are performed. It is part of the spiritual beauty of the mosque, where daily janāzah prayers remind us of the hereafter.

Khawkhat Abī Bakr – ﺑﻛر أﺑﻲ ﺧوﺧﺔ

The Prophet ﷺ ordered that all doors of companions opening to the Masjid be closed except the door of Abu Bakr ﻋﻧﮫ ﷲ رﺿﻲ.

إِ ﱠن أَﻣَ ﱠن اﻟ ﱠﻧﺎسِ ﻋَﻠَ ﱠﻲ ﻓِﻲ ﺻُﺣْﺑَﺗِﮫِ وَﻣَﺎﻟِﮫِ أَﺑُو ﺑَﻛْرٍ

“The most beloved and trusted person to me in his companionship and wealth is Abu Bakr.”(Sahih al-Bukhari – 3661