As you walk through the streets of Madinah, feel a sense of privilege and gratitude. You are standing beneath the same sky he ﷺ once looked up at, walking upon the same earth that carried his blessed feet ﷺ. The cool breeze that you feel is the same breeze that once touched his face ﷺ.
Jābir b. Samurah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said: “I saw the Prophet ﷺ on a clear night, wearing a red cloak. I looked at him, then at the moon, and he was more beautiful than the moon.”
Look up and imagine that night: the full moon glowing softly, perfect in its light, and yet his face shone brighter ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “You will see your Lord on the Day of Resurrection as you see this full moon.” So when you look at the mesmerising moon, remember that seeing Allah will be clearer, greater, and beyond anything the heart can imagine.
As you walk through Madinah, picture a young girl taking the hand of the Prophet ﷺ, leading him through the narrow alleys. He did not pull away or say he was too busy. Instead, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked with her, hand in hand, until she had taken him where she wished.
As you walk through the bustling markets of Madinah, recall the story of Zāhir (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu), a Bedouin Companion. He was considered unattractive and of low social status. One day he was standing among the crowd when suddenly the Prophet ﷺ seized him from behind. When Zāhir realised who it was, he leaned back into the embrace, pressing himself closer to the Prophet’s ﷺ chest, seeking the blessing of his touch. The Prophet ﷺ began playfully calling out, “Who will buy this slave from me?” Zāhir, knowing how the world saw him, replied that he was of little value. The Prophet g reassured him: “But in the sight of Allah, you are precious!”
As the adhān rises from his masjid, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar’, close your eyes and listen. Imagine Bilāl (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) standing on the roof of the masjid, his voice echoing through the city every day, in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ. Listen to the powerful, melodious call announcing the time for prayer, summoning the believers to success and gathering the Companions to stand behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Imagine Bilāl’s (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) heartbreak after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ as he tried to give the adhān once more. When he reached the words “Ashhadu anna Muḥammadan Rasūlullāh” — I testify that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah — his voice broke. Tears overwhelmed him, and he could not continue. How could he testify to the Messengership of the one who was no longer there to answer his call? Each attempt to repeat this phrase ended with weeping. Madinah itself was too difficult to bear: every street reminded him of his beloved. With Abū Bakr (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu)’s permission, Bilāl left for al-Shām.
Years passed. When ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) entered al-Quds after its conquest, the Companions gathered around Bilāl and pleaded: “Call the adhān for us, O Bilāl, just once more.”
“Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…”
The moment his voice rose, every Companion present broke down weeping. They were no longer in al-Quds; at that moment, they were transported back to Madinah, back to the blessed days when Bilāl’s voice would fill the air and the Prophet ﷺ would rise to lead them in prayer.
