Murba'at al-Qabr Pillar
 | |
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Maqam Jibra'il pillar, Al-Ma'ras pillar |
| Place | Medina, Al-Masjid al-Nabawi, inside the darih of the Prophet |
| Religious Aspect | |
| Religious Affiliation | Muslims |
| Rituals | praying next to this pillar |
| History | |
| Historical Features | The place where Gabriel descended to the Prophet, being next to the Prophet's grave and the entrance to Fatima's house |
| Current State | |
| Status | This pillar is inside the Prophet's darih (shrine) and out of reach of pilgrims |
Murba'at al-Qabr Pillar (Arabic: مُربَعَة القبر) is one of the pillars of al-Masjid al-Nabawi, is situated adjacent to the Prophet's grave and the door to Fatima's house. Some believe its name Murba'at al-Qabr is derived from its proximity to the square-shaped grave of the Prophet. Others associate it with the pillar's enclosure within the shrine. It is also called Maqam Jibra'il (Gabriel) Pillar, Because Gabriel descended upon the Prophet (s) at this very spot. Furthermore, it is referred to as al-Ma'ras pillar. Performing prayers at this location is highly recommended.
Location
This pillar is located near the entrance to Lady Fatima's house, aligned with the al-Wufud Pillar and the al-Mahras Pillar.[1] It is now enclosed within the shrine, at the northern end of the noble chamber, and is thus out of sight for pilgrims.[2]
According to historical accounts, this pillar remained outside the shrine and accessible to pilgrims until the mosque's expansion under Qaitbay (d. 887/1482-3). However, despite the objections of scholars, it was placed inside the shrine during this period.[3]
Names
Murba'at al-Qabr
The reason for this name is that, according to Ibn Shahrashub, when Imam Ali (a), along with three of the Muhajirun, al-'Abbas, his son al-Fadl, and Usama b. Zayd, wanted to bury the noble body of the Prophet (s), the Ansar asked Imam Ali (a) to allow one of them to enter the grave to assist in the burial. Imam Ali (s) sent Aws b. Khawli into the grave. After placing the blessed body of the Prophet in the grave, Imam Ali (a) told Aws, "Exit and make the grave square."[4] Another reason for this name is that the pillar is located within a shrine that encloses the Prophet's square-shaped tomb.[5]
Maqam Jibra'il
This pillar gained this name because it is believed that the Angel Gabriel descended upon the Prophet (s) at this very spot.[6]
Al-Ma'ras
This pillar is located in the northwest corner of the Prophet's tomb, and according to Sabri Pasha, it was situated between the al-Wufud Pillar and the Prophet's tomb, adjacent to the house of Fatima.[7] Some reports suggest that the wedding of Lady Fatima took place at this location, hence the alternative name "al-Ma'ras Pillar" (the wedding pillar).[8]
Virtue
There are numerous hadiths extolling the virtues of this pillar, recommending prayer[9] at this location and considering seeking blessings from it as meritorious.[10] According to a narration, the Prophet (s) would stand beside this pillar for 40 days, place his hand on the doorframe of Fatima's house, and say: "Peace be upon you, O people of the house," (السّلام عليكم يا أهل البيت) followed by the verse of purification (Quran 33:33).[11] Another narration states that the Messenger of Allah would knock on the door of Fatima and Ali's house daily, saying: "Prayer, prayer."[12]
Notes
- ↑ Samhūdī, Wafāʾ al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 186.
- ↑ Qāʾidān, Tārīkh wa āthār-i Islāmi-yi Makka wa Madīna, p.194.
- ↑ Sabrī Pāshā, Mawsūʿat mirʾāt al-ḥaramayn, vol. 3, p. 239; Yamānī, Mawsūʿa Makka al-mukarrama, vol. 2, p. 447.
- ↑ Ibn Shahrāshūb, Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, vol. 1, p. 174; Shurrāb, al-Maʿālim al-ʾathīra, p. 39.
- ↑ Shurrāb, al-Maʿālim al-ʾathīra, p. 39.
- ↑ Yamānī, Mawsūʿa Makka al-mukarrama, vol. 2, p. 446; Samhūdī, Wafāʾ al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 186.
- ↑ Sabrī Pāshā, Mawsūʿat mirʾāt al-ḥaramayn, vol. 3, p. 238-239
- ↑ Yamānī, Mawsūʿa Makka al-mukarrama, vol. 2, p. 446.
- ↑ Samhūdī, Wafāʾ al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 187.
- ↑ Amīnī, Al-Ghadīr, vol. 5, p. 124; Subḥānī, al-Zīyāra fī l-kitāb wa l-sunna, p. 40.
- ↑ Samhūdī, Wafāʾ al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 187.
- ↑ Sabrī Pāshā, Mawsūʿat mirʾāt al-ḥaramayn, vol. 3, p. 239; Samhūdī, Wafāʾ al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 187
References
- Amīnī, ʿAbd al-Ḥusayn. Al-Ghadīr fī l-kitāb wa l-sunna wa l-ʾadab. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1372 Sh.
- Ibn Shahrāshūb, Muḥammad b. ʿAlī. Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib. Edited by Ḥāshim Rasūlī. Qom: Nashr-i ʿAllāma, 1379 Sh.
- Qāʾidān, Aṣghar. Tārīkh wa āthār-i Islāmi-yi Makka wa Madīna. 4th edition. Qom: Nashr-i Mashʿar, 1381 Sh
- Sabrī Pāshā, Ayyūb. Mawsūʿat mirʾāt al-ḥaramayn, aw, al-raḥlāt al-ḥijāziyya wa al-ḥaj wa mashāʿirihi al-dīniyya. Beirut: Dār al-Maʿrifa, [n.d].
- Samhūdī, ʿAlī b. ʿAbd Allāh. Wafāʾ al-wafā bi akhbār dar al-Muṣṭafā. Edited by Muḥammad Muḥyi al-Dīn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd. Beirut: 1984.
- Subḥānī, Jaʿfar. Al-Zīyāra fī l-kitāb wa l-sunna. Qom: Muʾassisat Imām al-Ṣādiq, 1439 AH.
- Shurrāb, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad Ḥasan. Al-Maʿālim al-athīra. Tehran: Mashʿar, 1383 Sh.
- Yamānī, Aḥmad Zakī. Mawsūʿa Makka al-mukarrama wa al-Madina al-munawwara. London: Muʾssisa al-Furqān, 1429 AH.