Medina is Islam’s second-holiest city, in western Saudi Arabia, where the Prophet Muhammad lived after migrating from Mecca in 622 CE and where he is buried.

Where Is Medina Located?

Medina is the administrative capital of Medina Province, about 620 meters above sea level and roughly 442 kilometers from Mecca. Mountains surround the city on nearly every side, with lava fields known as harrat lying to its east and west, and Mount Uhud rising about 4 kilometers from the Prophet’s Mosque. The city has a hot continental climate: summers run from about 36°C to 46°C, winters from about 15°C to 20°C, and rainfall is sparse, averaging around 94 millimeters a year and falling mostly between November and January.^[1]

A Brief History of Medina

Before Islam, the city was known as Yathrib; according to local historical tradition recorded by Saudi sources, the area was first settled after the Flood. Its history changed permanently in 622 CE, when the Prophet Muhammad migrated there from Mecca in the event known as the Hijra, which marks the start of the Islamic calendar. He spent the last ten years of his life in the city, which was renamed al-Madina al-Munawwara, “the Enlightened City,” and he was buried there. Saudi sources describe Medina as the first capital of Islam. Several of early Islam’s major battles are tied to the city and its surroundings, including Badr in 624, Uhud in 625, the Battle of the Trench in 627, and the Battle of al-Harra in 683.^[1]

The Prophet’s Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi)

The Prophet’s Mosque is Islam’s second-holiest mosque, after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. The Prophet and his companions built it on the spot where his camel stopped on arrival in the city, and he lived immediately beside it. Its original qibla, the direction of prayer, pointed toward Jerusalem before later changing. The mosque contains the Rawdah, an area of about 330 square meters between the Prophet’s former house and his pulpit that is considered especially sacred, and it has been expanded many times over the centuries, most extensively under Saudi rule, to the point that it can now hold about one million worshippers at once. Nearby stands Quba Mosque, which Saudi sources describe as the first mosque built in Islamic history, its foundation laid in 622, the same year as the Hijra.^[1]

What Is Medina Known For?

The Prophet’s Mosque, with its green dome marking the Prophet’s tomb, is the single most recognizable image associated with Medina. According to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, an estimated 93.3% of pilgrims who travel to Mecca each year also visit Medina, underscoring how closely the two cities are linked in religious practice.^[1]

Why Medina Matters

As the city where the Prophet Muhammad built the first Muslim community and governed as head of state, Medina is regarded as the first capital of Islam, and its history, alongside Mecca’s, forms the foundation of early Islamic religious and political life.^[1]

Key Takeaways

• Known as Yathrib before Islam, the city was renamed al-Madina al-Munawwara after the Prophet Muhammad’s 622 CE migration from Mecca.^[1]
• The Prophet is buried in Medina, inside the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site.^[1]
• The 2022 census recorded 1,477,047 residents.^[1]
• About 93.3% of Hajj pilgrims also visit Medina each year.^[1]

Sources

1. Saudipedia, “Medina”, undated, accessed October 21, 2026.

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed October 21, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue