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Arabian Identity (London: I.B. Tauris, 2004).

Medina (Arabic, city; al-Madina al-

Munawwarah [the Radiant City], Madinat

al-Nabi [City of the Prophet], Madinat

al-Rasul [City of the Messenger])

Medina, which had a population of 918,889 in

2006, is located in Saudi Arabia, 210 miles north of

Mecca and about 120 miles from the Red Sea coast.

The umma, or religious community, was formally

established in Medina after Muhammad’s emigra-

tion from mecca to Medina in 622 c.e. (called the

hiJ ra), which became the first year of the Islamic

Medina the Radiant. Traditional poster, with the Throne Verse from the Quran (Q 2:255) inscribed in the frame.
The prophet Muhammad’s mosque, encompassing his domed tomb, is shown in the center.

Medina 469 J