Medina

The oldest known name of Medina is Yathrib. This name is believed to have originated from the name of Yathrib b. Wa'il b. Kayin b. Mahlabil, who is said to be the first person to settle here. After the migration, the Prophet prohibited the name Yathrib and commanded the use of the name 'Medina'. Sources mention that the city has many other names, such as Taba, Tabibah, Jabirah, Azirah, Miskinah, Mahbubah, and Qasimah, among which Taba and Tabibah are the most commonly used. Located about 130 km from the Red Sea coast in the west of the Arabian Peninsula and approximately 350 km north of Mecca, Medina is situated at an altitude of 619 meters above sea level. The northern part of the wide plain where the city was established is surrounded by Mount Uhud, the southern part by the A'ir mountains, the eastern part by the Waqim lava flow, and the western part by the Wabere lava flow. This geographical location has provided the city with significant military and strategic advantages throughout history and during the time of the Prophet. It is known that before Islam, Medina was inhabited by Arab people from the Aws and Khazraj tribes, as well as various Jewish tribes. The Jewish tribes of Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayza played important roles in the city's economic and political structure. The Prophet's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD marked a turning point in the city's history and world history. With this migration, the Prophet established a bond of brotherhood between the Muhajirun and Ansar, prepared the Constitution of Medina that brought all factions together, and made the city the first capital of the Islamic state. After the migration, the first thing the Prophet did was to build the Prophet's Mosque; over time, this mosque has taken on the central function of Islamic civilization. Medina continued to be the center of the Islamic caliphate during the periods of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman after the Prophet's death; the city's political significance lasted until it was moved to Kufa during Ali's caliphate. During the Ottoman period, Medina came under Ottoman rule after Yavuz Sultan Selim's conquest of Egypt (1517) and remained under Ottoman administration for four hundred years. During this period, great value was placed on the city, and the Prophet's Mosque was expanded and repaired multiple times. [Source: Nebi Bozkurt, Mustafa Sabri Küçükaşcı, 'Medina', TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/medine]