Al-Tawba Pillar: Difference between revisions

'''The Pillar of Tawba''' is situated within the '''[[Rawdat al-Nabi]]''' section of [[the Prophet's Mosque]].<ref>Yamānī,''Mawsūʿa makka al-mukarrama'', vol. 2, p. 423.</ref> It's positioned two pillars away from the Prophet's grave.<ref>Ibn Zabāla, ''Akhbār al-madīna'', p. 102.</ref> When considering the mosque's layout, the pillar is the fourth one from the Prophet's pulpit and the third from the Qibla wall.<ref>Ansārī, ''ʿImārah wa tawsiah al-masjid al-nabawīī'', p. 70.</ref> Adjacent to it is the [[al-Qur'a Pillar]], and notably, the door to [[the Prophet's house]], often referred to as the "Door of Repentance" (Bab al-Tawbah), aligns with the level of the al-Tawba Pillar.<ref>Qāʾidān, ''Tārīkh wa āthār-i Islāmi Makka wa Madīna'', p. 203-206.</ref>

Upon reaching the Banu Qurayza, Abu Lubabah in response to their intent of submission to the Prophet (s), he pointed to his throat and showed them that they would be killed if they surrender. According to Abu Lubaba before taking a step he was overwhelmed by guilt and remorse, he immediately sought forgiveness by binding himself to a pillar within the Prophet's Mosque and swore that he would not allow anyone but the Prophet to remove him from that pillar.<ref>Wāqidī, ''Al-Maghāzī'', vol. 2, p. 509; Ibn Hishām, ''Al-Sīra al-nabawīyya'', vol. 4, p. 196-197; Ibn Saʿd, ''Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 4, p. 376; Ansārī, ''ʿImārah wa tawsiah al-masjid al-nabawīī'', p. 70.</ref>

After six,<ref> Ibn Hishām, ''Al-Sīra al-nabawīyya'', vol. 2, p. 237.</ref> seven<ref>Wāqidī, ''Al-Maghāzī'', vol. 2, p. 509.</ref> or 20 nights<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''Al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 4, p. 137.</ref> a verse of Quran was revealed,{{enote| یَا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَخُونُوا اللهَ و الرَّسُولَ وَتَخُونُوا أَمَانَاتِکُم وَأَنتُم تَعلَمُونَ / O believers, betray not God and the Messenger, and betray not your trusts and that wittingly(Quran: 8:27)}} and his repentance was accepted.<ref>Wāḥidī, ''Asbāb al-nuzūl'', p. 157; Zamakhsharī, ''Tafsīr al-kashshāf'', vol. 2, p. 213; Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 4, p. 823.</ref>

Tradition holds that the Prophet Muhammad (s) primarily offered his [[nafila prayers]] near the Pillar of Repentance.<ref>Samhūdī, ''Wafāʾ al-wafā'', vol. 2, p. 180.</ref> Following morning prayers, he would often sit by this pillar, engaging in conversation with the poor and weak until sunrise. During these gatherings, he would share newly revealed Quranic verses.<ref>Ḥalabī, ''Al-Sīra al-ḥalabiyya'', vol 2, p. 664.</ref> Historical accounts also indicate that the Prophet occasionally performed [[i'tikaf]] near this pillar<ref>Ḥillī, ''Kitāb al-sarāʾir'', vol.1, p. 652.</ref> and placed his bed behind it.<ref>Ibn Zabāla, ''Akhbār al-madīna'', p. 102.</ref>

According to hadiths, it is recommended for pilgrims of [[Medina]] to stay in this city from Wednesday to Friday and fast and perform their prayers near Al-Tawba pillar on Wednesday.<ref>Kulaynī, ''Al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 558; Ḥillī, ''Kitāb al-sarāʾir'', vol. 1, p. 652.</ref> It is also recommended to say prayers,<ref>Ibn al-Mashhadī, ''Al-Mazār'', p. 65.</ref> pray<ref>Ṣadūq, ''Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh'', vol. 2, p. 572.</ref> and seek blessings from this pillar.<ref>Amīnī, ''Al-Ghadīr'', vol. 5, p. 124; Subḥānī, ''Al-Zīyāra fī al-kitāb wa al-sunna'', p. 40.</ref>

*Amīnī, ʿAbd al-Ḥusayn. ''Al-Ghadīr fī al-kitāb wa al-sunna wa al-ʾadab''. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1372 Sh.

*Ansārī, Nājī Muḥammad Ḥasan ʿabdu l-qādir al-. ''ʿImārah wa tawsiah al-masjid al-nabawīī al-sharīf  ʿabar tārīkh''. [n.p], Nādī al-madīna al-munawwara al-adabī, 1996.  

*Ḥalabī, Nūr al-Dīn. ''Al-Sīra al-ḥalabiyya''. Edited by ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad Khalīlī. Beirut: 1422 AH-2002.

*Ḥillī, Ibn Idrīs al-. ''Kitāb al-sarāʾir al-ḥāwī li taḥrīr al-fatāwī''. Qom: Daftar-i Intishārāt-i Islāmī, 1410 AH.*Ibn Zabāla. ''Akhbār al-madīna''. Medina: Markaz Buḥūth wa Darāsāt al-Madina al-Munawwara, 1424 AH.

*Ibn Hishām, ʿAbd al-Malik. ''Al-Sīra al-nabawīyya''. Edited by Muṣṭafā al-Saqā. Beirut: Dār al-Maʿrifa, [n.d].

*Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-. ''Al-Kāfī''. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmīyya, 1367 sh.

*Qāʾidān, Aṣghar. ''Tārīkh wa āthār-i Islāmi Makka wa Madīna''. 4th edition. Qom: Nashr-i Mashʿar, 1381 Sh.