The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 2
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 2 Uḥud, where a horrific war between the Muslims and disbelievers of Makkah took place, some time afterwards. In comparison to other regions of Arabia, Madīnah often receives substantial rainfall and the land is also not sandy and infertile, as is generally the case with other places in Arabia. It is for this reason that, since ancient times, the inhabitants of Madīnah have always been farmers by profession. In Madīnah, the warm season is intense, and the cold season is bitter. Furthermore, in the era under discussion, malaria and other such epidemics would often break out in Madīnah, and people would suffer severely from fever. As such, in the beginning, when the Holy Prophet sa and his Companions migrated to Madīnah, they suffered immensely due to a change of climate. Many Muslims were struck by fever, and their health was adversely affected. As such, the prayer in which the Holy Prophet sa supplicated to God upon witnessing this distress of the Companions is also recorded in the Aḥādīth. 1 As a result, Allāh delivered the Muslims from this difficulty, and the air in Madīnah was cleansed of epidemic germs to a great extent. 2 In that era, the population of Madīnah was not concentrated, rather, it was somewhat dispersed. Every tribe inhabited different areas and had built small castles for their own protection. Ancient records show that the first people to inhabit Yathrib were the ‘Amālīq, who planted date orchards there, and built small castles. After them, the Jews inhabited this area. There are varying accounts as to whether they were of Arab origin, or were immigrants. However, historians are of the general opinion that they were mostly from the Banī Isrā’īl, who migrated from their homeland to live in Arabia. Afterwards, various inhabitants of Arab origin also gradually converted to their religion and began to live with them. In any case, after the ‘Amālīq, the Jews took up residence in Madīnah, and they gradually uprooted, or expelled the ‘Amālīq, and took their place. These Jews were divided into three groups: Banū Qainuqā‘, Banū Naḍīr, and Banū Quraiẓah. In the beginning, these three tribes generally lived together in great harmony and unity. In accordance with the customs of that time, these Jews also built small castles for their own residence, which were not attached to one another; rather, they were situated 1 Sayings of the Holy Prophet sa [Publishers] 2 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābu Manāqibil-Anṣār, Bābu Maqdamin-Nabiyyi sa Wa Aṣḥābihīl-Madīnah, Ḥadīth No. 3926 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, pp. 404-405, Dhikru Man I‘talla Min Aṣḥābihī Rasūlillāh sa , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Tārīkhul-Khamīs Fī Aḥwāli Anfasi Nafīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan, Volume 1, p. 350, Wa‘ku Abī Bakrin Waṣ-Ṣaḥābah, Mu’assasatu Sha‘bān, Beirut