Importance of MadinahApart from the great honor to be bestowed upon the people of Madinah and such other
reasons accessible only to the All-knowing God, one of the considerations in the selection of
the town as the future center of Islam was that it was, from a strategic point of view
brought about by its geography and defense, impregnable like a fortified city. No other town
of the Arabian Peninsula enjoyed the same advantage. Lying in a lava plain, surrounded on
all sides by chains of high mountains, the Western side of the city is protected by the lava
and extremely uneven hilly terrain known as Harratal-al-Wabra while Harra-al-Waqim sur-
rounds it on the eastern side. Madinahh lies unprotected and open to military advance only
in the north (where, in 5 A.H., the Prophet (r) ordered to dig trenches on the occasion of
the battle of clans). Thickly clustered plantations of date-palm groves encompassed the
town on the remaining sides. An army taking this route would have had to maintain com-
munications through deep valleys and ravines. Thus, it would have been difficult to attack
Madinah in full force from these sides while the defenders could have easily conquered the
invaders through small outlying pickets.
Ibn Is’haq writes: “Only one side of Madinah was exposed, and the rest of the sides were
strongly protected by buildings and date-palm groves through which an enemy could not
get access.”
The Prophet (r) had perhaps covertly referred to this very aspect of Madinah when he
said before his migration: “I have been shown the goal of your migration - a land of palm-
trees lying between two tracts strewn with black, rugged stones.” All those who resolved
upon migration proceeded thereupon to Madinah. (Al-Bukhari).
The two Arab tribes of Madinah, the Aus and the Khazraj, were well known for their pas-
sionate, chauvinistic spirit of the clan; self-respect, boldness and valor while riding horses
was one of the manly skills in which they excelled. Freedom of the desert was in their blood:
neither had they ever submitted to any authority nor paid impost to a sovereign. The heroic
character of these tribes was plainly set forth when the chief of Aus, S’ad Ibn Mu’adh had
said to the Prophet (r) during the battle of Trenches: “When we and these people were
polytheist and idolaters, not serving God nor knowing Him, they never hoped to eat a single
date except as guests or by a purchase.” (Ibn Hisham, Vol. II, p. 289)
“The two clans of Yathrib...” writes Ibn Khaldun, “...dominated over the Jews and were
distinguished because of their prestige and eminence. The tribe of Mudar, which was just
around the vicinity, was cognate with them." (Tarikh Ibn Khaldun, Vol. II, p. 289)
Ibn ‘Abd-I-Rabbehi, another Arab historian, writes in the Al-‘Iqd al-Farid; “The Ansaar des-
cended from the tribe of Azd. Known as Aus and Khazraj, they were lineal descendants of
the two sons of Haritha Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Amir. Being more proud and dignified than others, they
had never paid tribute to any regime or supremacy.” (Al-‘Iqd ul-Farid, Vol. III, p. 334)