MEDI'NA (Ar. al.11edinah, the city; or more fully Medinat ul-Xubi, the city of the Prophet; called also Taggibah, the perfumed, or ol-I/u nowweroh, the illumined; before the time of 3Ioha tinned, known as ialhrib, whence it is men tioned by Ptolemy as dathrippa). One of the sacred cities of Islam, the scene of Mohammed's labors after his flight from Mecca (see MonAm mEn; IIEJIrt.t), and the place of his tomb. it is situated about 250 miles north of Mecca. and 140 north by east of the port of \ambit on the Red Sea. The population was estimated by Burton at the time of his visit (1852) at 16,000; a later estimate places it at 40,000. The city originally contained a large Antillean population; but in the third century A.D. the tribes of Aus and Khazraj emigrated thither front Yemen, and gave it an Arabic character; later they became the `helpers' (A nOr) of Mohammed when he fled from Mecca. Medina also contained a' large Jew ish population, who were influential in the early days of Islam, hut whom the Prophet se verely repressed. It was the capital of the new Mohammedan power until Monwiyali exchanged it for Damascus. 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. Medina forms an irregular oval within a walled inelosure, 35 to 40 feet in height. and flanked by thirty towers—a fortification which renders the city the chief stronghold of Hedjaz. Two of its four gates, viz. tie Bab al-Jum`ah (Assembly (,ate, in the east ' rn wall). and the Bab al-Mi?ri (Egyptian Gate). are massive buildings with double towers. The streets, between fifty and sixty in number. are narrow and paved only in a few places. The houses are flat-roofed and double-storied. and are built of a basaltic scoria, burned brick, and palm wood. Very few public buildings of any bn portance are to be noticed except the mosque, erected near the spot where Mohammed died. It is of smaller dimensions than that of Mecca, being a parallelogram, 420 feet long and 340 feet broad, with a spacious central area called al-attn, which is surrounded by a peristyle, with numerous rows of pillars. The Mausoleum, or thrjruh, itself behind the mosque proper. is an irregular square. 50 to 55 feet in extent, situated in the southeast corner of the building. and separated from the walls of the mosque by a passage about 26 feet broad. A large gilt crescent above the 'green dome' spring ing from a series of globes. surmounts the flujrah, a glimpse into which is only attainable through a little opening. called the Prophet's Window; hut nothing more is visible to the pro fane 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 (Abu Bekr and Omar), and an empty tomb for Jesus. These curtains, changed whenever worn out, or when a new Sultan ascends the throne. are supposed to (-over a square edifice of black marble. 111 the midst of which stands Mohammed's tomb. Its exact place is indicated by a long, pearly rosary ril-nurri) suspended from the curtain. The Prophet's body is supposed to lie I mole caved) stretched at full length on the right side with the right palm supporting the right cheek, the face directed toward Mecca. Outside the drapery is the tomb of Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed. Close behind him is placed. in the same position. Abu Bekr. and behind the latter 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. tilled only with rubbish. Many other reasons make it more than problematic whether the particular spot at Medina really contains the Prophet's ITItlaiRA. Of the fabulous treasures which this sanctuary once contained, little now remains. As in Mecca, a great number of ecclesiastical officials are attached in some cap city or other to the mosque, as nlemas, imams, khatibs, etc.; and only they hut the towns people in general, live to a great extent on the pilgrims' alms, the city having little trade. The mosque was destroyed by fire in 1257. and was rebuilt 1258-88: it was restored in 1457 by Khalil Bey, of Egypt. The city was conquered by the Turkish sultans in the sixteenth century. It fell into the power of Saud, the Wahhabite general, in 1803. and was reeonquered by Tussun Pasha in 1815. There are few other noteworthy spots to be mentioned in Medina, save the minor mosques of Aim Bekr, Ali. Omar. etc. The pri vate houses. however. surrounded by gardens, fountains. etc., have a very pleasing appearance; and the city. although in its decay, is yet busy and co-ecable. A number of medreses, or en dowed schools, represent what learning there is left in Medina. once famed for its seholars. As is the ease with Mecca, non-Slohammedans are rigorously excluded from the sacred city, yet it has beta visited by Burekhardt (1811) and Bur ton (1852). Consult: Burekhardt. Trards Arabia (London, 1820) ; Burton, Journal of a Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and. Mecca ( London, P535) ; Soubhy. Meriting( ii la Ifregue et a ..ludine (Cairo, 1894) : Wellhausen. .1Irdinah ror dear Islam. in his Skin-em iv. (Berlin. 1S89).