NEDI'NA (Arab. city), or, more fully, MEDucAr AL NABI (City of the Prophet), also called TABAII, Trnan, etc. (the Good, Sweet, etc.), and mentioned by Ptolemy as Jath rippa: the holiest city throughout Mohammedanism, next to Mecca, and the second capital of Hedjaz in western Arabia, is situated about 270 m. n. of Mecca, and 140 n. by e. of the port of Jembo on the Red sea, and contains about 16,000 inhabitants (Burton). It consists of three principal parts—a town, a fort, and suburbs, of about the same extent as the town itself, from which they are separated by a wide space (the Munakha). Medina is about half the size of Mecca, and forms an irregular oval within a walled inclosure of 35 to 40 ft. high, and flanked by thirty towers—a fortification which ren ders Medina the chief stronghold of Hedjaz. Two of its four gates—viz., the Bab Al Jumah (Friday gate, in the eastern wall) and the Bab Al Misri mas sive buildings with double towers. The streets, between fifty and sixty in nutnber, are deep and narrow, paved only in a few places. The houses are tiat-roofed and double stotied, and are built of a basaltic scoria, burned brick, and palm-wood. Very few pub lic buildings of any importance are to be noticed besides the Great Mosque Al Hamm (the Sacred), supposed to be erected on the spot where Mohammed died, and to inclose his tomb. It is of smaller dimensions than that of Mecca, being a parallelogram, 420 ft. Long and 340 ft. broad, with a spacious central area, called El Salm, which is surrounded by a peristyle, with numerous rows of pillars. The Mausoleum, or Hujrah, itself is an irregular square, 50 to 55 ft. in extent, situated in the s.e. corner of the building, and separated front the walls of the mosque by a passage about 26 ft. broad. A large gilt crescent above the " green dome," springing from a series of globes, surmounts the Hnjrali, a glimpse into which is only attainable through a little opening, called the Prophet's Window; but nothing more is visible to the profane eye than costly carpets or hangings, with three inscriptions in large gold letters, stating that behind them lie the bodies of the prophet of Allah and the two caliphs—which curtains, changed whenever worn out, or when a new sultan ascends the throne, .are supposed to cover a square edi
.fice of black marble, in the midst of which stands Mohammed's tomb. Its exact place is indicated by a long pearly rosary (Kaukab Al Durri)—still seen in 1855—suspended to the curtain., The prophet's body is supposed to lie (undecayed) stretched at full length on the right side, with the right palm supporting the right cheek, the face directed towards Mecca. Close behind him is placed, in the same position, Abubekr, and behind him Omar. The fact, however, is that when the mosque, which had been struck by lightning, was rebuilt in 892 three deep graves were found in the interior, filled only with rubbish. Many other reasons, besides, make it more than problematic whether the particular spot at Medina really contains the prophet's remains. That his coffin, said to be covered with a marble slab and cased with silver (no European has ever seen it), rests suspended in the air, iS a stupid story, invented by Christians, and long exploded. Of the fabulous treasures which this satictuaty_ once contained, little now remains, As in Mecca, a great number of ecclesiastical officials are attached in some capacity or other to 'the Great Mosque, as ulernas, mudarisin, imaums, khatibs, etc. • and not only they- but the townspeople themselves live to a great extent only on the pilgrims' alms. There aro few other noteworthy spots to be mentioned iu Medina, save the minor mosques of Abu bekr, Ali, Omar, Balal, etc. The private houses, however, surrounded by gardens, fountains, etc., have a very pleasing appearance; and the city, although in its decay, is yet one of the busiest and most aomeable. hirty medresses, or public endowed schools, represent what learning there is feft in the city-, once famed for its scholars.