Geography of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Geography of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah refers to the surface features, geological structure, natural phenomena, and climate of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, west of the Kingdom Saudi Arabia. The city is located within the Arabian Shield Formation, which consists of volcanic and sedimentary rocks.

Geographical Boundaries of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Located at latitude 24°28′ north and longitude 36°39′ east, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is the seat of the Emirate of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Province and is home to the Prophet's Mosque and the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH).

It is bordered to the north by Khaybar and AlUla governorates, to the west by Yanbu and Badr governorates, to the south by Al-Mahd and Rabigh governorates, which are administratively affiliated with Makkah Al-Mukarramah Province, and to the east by Al-Hanakiyyah province. Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is surrounded by many mountains, including Uhud Mountain in the north and Ayr in the south. It is about 250 km from the Red Sea coast on the eastern side and rises about 635 m above sea level.

Area of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is located in a rocky hollow at the confluence of three valleys, namely: Al-Aqiq Valley, Al-Aqool Valley, and Al-Hamd Valley. The area of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is about 700 km². It ranks first in terms of population in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Province, with 1,477,047 citizens according to the Saudi Census 2022. It also ranks fifth in terms of urban agglomerations after Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and Dammam, and is the fifth Saudi city with a population of more than one million people.

Harrat and Folds of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is characterized by many Harrats, two of which form the city’s eastern and western boundaries, namely the eastern and western Harrat. The eastern Harrat is called Harrat Waqim, Harrat Bani Qurayza, and Harrat Zahra, while the western Harrat is called Harrat Al-Wabra. In the south of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Harrat Shawran is located south of Quba Mosque.

The city is home to several Folds, including the northern and southern fold of Al-Wada on Makkah Al-Mukarramah Road, which lies south of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah before Quba Mosque. The northern fold of Al-Wada, also called fold of Al-Rikab, is located at the exit of the Sultana Road tunnel at the foot of Sela Mountain.

Mountains of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is characterized by its mountains, some of which were and still are part of the city's history, having witnessed historical events that had a lasting impact, especially during the Islamic era. These include Uhud Mountain, one of the prominent landmarks in the Prophet's biography (PBUH), as it witnessed the Battle of Uhud and hosts the graves of 70 martyrs, may Allah be pleased with them, who were martyred in the Battle of Uhud.

Uhud Mountain extends in the form of a chain from east to west, with a slight inclination to the north. It measures about 7 km in length and between 2 and 3 km in width, while its height reaches approximately 350 m. It is located about 5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque. It is a rocky mountain made of granite, with its rocks predominantly red in color. It has many peaks and several plateaus and is distinguished by its numerous valleys, including the Valley of Uhud. In addition, it contains natural hollows called al-Maharis, among them the split known as Shaqq al-Mihras, located in the front part of Uhud Mountain.

Uhud Mountain is adjacent to Al-Rumat Mountain, also called Aynayn Mountain, which is the mountain that the archers ascended during the Battle of Uhud. Ayr Mountain, also called A’ir Mountain, forms the southern border of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. Sela Mountain overlooks Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah from the north, and it is the mountain on which the Prophet (PBUH) camped after the digging of the trench, and the Seven Mosques are located on its western slope.

There are other mountains in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, including Al-Jamawat Mountain, Sulaya Mountain, and An'am Mountain.

Valleys of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is famous for its valleys, including Al-Aqiq Valley, also known as the Blessed Valley, which runs to the outskirts of the city until it reaches Ayr Mountain. It then runs west, passes Dhu Al-Hulayfah, and meets Bathan Valley near Al-Qiblatain area, continuing its course towards the northeast and then north, where it meets Qanat Valley coming from the east of the city at Zaghaba.

East of Quba Mosque is Buthhan Valley, which divides into several branches, including Mudhaynab Valley. Qanat Valley is one of the largest valleys of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah and is located north of the city at the foot of Al-Rumat Mountain. In addition, there are Ar-Ranuna Valley, Mahzour Valley, Sayl Al-Mabuth, and Abu Huraira Valley.

Wells of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah has many wells, the most prominent of which are seven wells known as the Prophetic Wells, namely: Aris Well (the Ring Well), Haa Well, Rumah Well (the Well of Uthman Ibn Affan), Gharas Well, Bida'a Well, Bussa Well, and Al-Ahn Well.

Climate of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

The climate in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is generally volatile, characterized by relatively high temperatures ranging from thirty-one to forty-three °C in summer and 14.5 to twenty-six °C in winter, with the highest temperatures occurring in June, July, and August, while the lowest temperatures occur in December, January, and February.

Humidity is low throughout the year due to its distance from the sea coast, except during periods of rain. The average relative humidity is about 13.6 percent in the summer and reaches about 37 percent during the winter months, while it decreases during the spring months to about 22.3 percent and to about 23 percent in the fall.

The winds that prevail in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah affect temperatures, as cold winds blow from the northwest mountains and hot, dry winds from the south. Changes in the climate have led to an increase in air temperature by 1.7 °C between 1959 and 2013. The average wind speed is about 5–8 knots per hour.

Precipitation is low in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah with an average of up to 94 mm per year, and rainfall is usually recorded between November and January.

Historical Background of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah is the second holy city for Muslims after Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and its importance lies in its embrace of the Prophet's Mosque, the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), where his body was buried, as well as the first mosque built in Islam, Quba Mosque.

It is the first capital city in the history of Islam, as the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) came to it as a migrant from Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and his migration marked the beginning of the Hijri calendar.

The city of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah arose about 1,500 years before the Prophet's migration and was known before the advent of Islam as "Yathrib", and Muslims visit it to visit the mosque of the Prophet (PBUH) and his holy grave, which is located inside the mosque with the graves of his companions Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and Umar Bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with them).