…tangible and truly felt in the deep recesses of the heart…the lucidity blinds the soul…the glow of emanation exists…regardless of what is happening in and around this Mubarak place of the miraculous birth…and regardless of what some try to deny…

The Prophet, upon him be peace, was born on Monday 12th Rabial-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant corresponding to 22nd April 571 CE. He was born in his father’s house at the edge of the Banu Hashim district. After the Prophet’s migration to Madina, the house passed to his cousin ‘Aqil bin Abu Talib and then to his children. It stayed in the family until it was sold to Muhammad bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi. When al-Khayzuran, the wife of the Abbasid Khalifa al-Mahdi and mother of Khalifas Harun al-Rashid and al-Hadi, performed the pilgrimage, she instructed its owners to convert it to a mosque, In addition to the regular prayer, it was a place for reading the story of the birth of the Prophet, upon him be peace and his Sira, biography.
I was a square building with two pillars, ten windows, two doors and a prayer niche. The prayer niche was made of green marble enclosed in silver. Near the prayer niche was a small concave indicating the actual spot where the noble birth took place.
It has been rebuilt several times including by al-Nasir in 586H (1190 CE)and Malik al-Muzafar in 666H (1267 CE). It was destroyed by the authorities but after discussions between Shaykh Abbas al-Qattan, the mayor of Makka and King Abdul Aziz, a library was built in its place to preserve the sanctity of the site. The buildings surrounding the house were knocked down during the recent expansions of the Haram and it now stand alone at the edge of the marble plaza that surrounds the Holy Mosque precinct, not far from the Salam and Bani Hashim doors.

From Guide to Visiting Makka and Madina (also here)

…time spent in contemplation and Muraqabah was Spring’s gift…the outer gaze aware of seekers arriving just be bathe in this glow…only to be told…no, no. no…and a gentle pat on the back to move them along…Alhumdulillah the supposed addition of sisters to the ‘vice squad’ is yet to be a reality…supposedly they are still in training…heaven forbid any lingering…there is ‘no proof’…how sadly bereft of love…

…by squinting the gaze one could be forgiven thinking all the additional banners and red lights flashing are decoration for Rabi’al Awwal…Alhumdulillah for the imagination…

…and for LOVE…for LOVE…for LOVE…

…this group of Sri Lankan lovers were under the impression that entrance to the library was via the new ‘headquarters’ for distributing leaflets, books and literature in various languages emphasizing all that is Bid’ah…

…the room is staffed with members of the ‘vice squad’ along with police to assist with those who may not willingly move on when told…they were kept very busy…

…demolition continues just beyond the Mubarak Birth Place…exposing the ruggedness and steepness of the mountain it nestles beneath…

…how many centuries of people have been blessed to live looking down upon such a glow…a view that would long ago have encompassed the Ka’aba and the numerous historic homes of the giants of our Deen…and the house of our Lady Khadijah, RadhiAllahu anha…

…what footsteps this very mountain may have witnessed…maybe Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, RadhiAllahu anhum, as children, scampered and played as boys do…the imagination stretches to the days when our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was a shepherd…did he ever take his flock over this mountain top…did this lead to where he used to come down from with the intention of attending social gatherings…but on each occasion he fell asleep as he approached houses where there was music playing…historians saying that the temptations of Makkah had no power over the disciplined soul of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, whose sole concern, even in his youth, was contemplation…his greatest spiritual pleasure was that of beholding the beauty of the Universe and responding to its invitation to ponder and to admire…SubhanAllah!

…the glow of emanation suffuses this whole area…and when one stills all but the throbbing of the heart for his SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s LOVE, that very glow brightens any darkness and dims all Batil…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.