Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseIn the Hajj lesson you saw that every pilgrim goes to Makkah. Many Muslims also visit a second holy city, Madinah, in Saudi Arabia. It is known as the "City of the Prophet" because Muhammad lived there after the hijrah and it became the first Muslim community. Visiting Madinah is not part of the Hajj, and a pilgrim's Hajj is complete without it. But most pilgrims go, usually before or after the Hajj, because they want to see the places linked to the Prophet's life.
Key terms:
Muhammad built this mosque soon after he arrived in Madinah. It grew from a simple courtyard into one of the largest mosques in the world. Muslims believe prayer here earns great reward, so many pilgrims spend a few days praying in it.
Muhammad is buried in what was once part of his home, which is now inside the Prophet's mosque, under the green dome. Visitors stand outside the enclosure and greet him with a prayer for peace.
Beside the Prophet's grave are the graves of Abu Bakr and Umar, the first two caliphs of Islam. Pilgrims greet them too. Sunni Muslims honour them as the first two rightful caliphs, while Shi'a Muslims hold that Ali should have been the first leader.
On the edge of Madinah stands the mosque at Quba'. It is counted as the first mosque of Islam, built when the Prophet reached the area after the hijrah. Many pilgrims pray there.
For Muslims, these visits are not a pillar of Islam. They are a way to feel close to the Prophet's example, to pray in a place of peace and to remember the story of the early community.
Jerusalem is another place of pilgrimage for Muslims today. It is called the third holiest place in Islam, after Makkah and Madinah, for these reasons:
Muslims visit Jerusalem to pray at Al-Aqsa and to remember the Night Journey. Jerusalem is also holy to Jews and Christians. Shi'a Muslims also honour Karbala in Iraq, where the Prophet's grandson Husayn is buried, and many make a pilgrimage there.
Most Muslims see visiting the Prophet's mosque and greeting him at his grave as a great blessing. They love him and want to honour him. Some scholars give a warning. They say Muslims should not travel just for the sake of graves, and that a Muslim must pray to Allah alone and never to any other person. They point to a well-known saying of the Prophet that Muslims should make special journeys only to three mosques: in Makkah, Madinah and Jerusalem. Both groups agree that worship belongs to Allah only, but they disagree about how to show love for the Prophet.
Many Muslims call Umrah the "lesser pilgrimage" because it is shorter than the Hajj and can be done at any time of year. Most value it highly and make it more than once. Others point out the cost and the crowds, especially in Ramadan, and some say that Muslims who cannot afford it are not failing in their faith, since scholars differ on whether Umrah is required or only recommended.
(a) Outline two places that Muslim pilgrims visit in Madinah. [4 marks]
(b) Explain why Jerusalem is important to Muslims. [6 marks]
(c) "Visiting the Prophet's grave is a great blessing for a Muslim." Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include: reference to teachings; other (divergent) points of view; your opinion/point of view using reasoned arguments. [10 marks]
(a) Pilgrims visit the Prophet's mosque (1), which Muhammad built himself and where Muslims believe prayer earns great reward (1). They also visit the Quba' mosque (1), which is counted as the first mosque of Islam (1).
(b) Jerusalem is the third holiest place in Islam (1). Muslims believe Muhammad was taken there on the Night Journey (1) and then rose through the heavens, so the Dome of the Rock is linked with this event (1). It was also the first direction of prayer, before Muslims faced the Ka'ba (1). Al-Aqsa Mosque stands there, so many Muslims travel to pray in it (1). This shows that Jerusalem is part of the story of Islam and of the Prophet's life (1).
(c) Plan: Agree: most Muslims love the Prophet and see greeting him as a way to show respect; he is the model for how to live; the grave is inside the Prophet's mosque where prayer earns great reward; pilgrims feel close to the early community. Disagree: some scholars warn against travelling for the sake of graves, since Muslims should pray only to Allah; the visit is not a pillar and is not part of the Hajj; a Muslim can show love for the Prophet by following his example at home. Possible conclusion: it is a great blessing for many, but only if the visit keeps worship for Allah alone and the Prophet's teaching is followed in daily life.
In a 10-mark "Discuss" question, name a different Muslim view (such as the scholars who warn about visiting graves) and finish with your own reasoned opinion. Without both, you cannot reach the top level.