Habakkuk 3:5

This is an explicit glad tiding of the Prophet Muḥammad, because before his arrival in Al-Madīnah (Y athrib), it was known for fever. This fever afflicted the companions of the Messenger of Allāh upon their first arrival in Al-Madīnah. So, the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) prayed to his Lord to transfer the fever from Al-Madīnah to Al-Juhfah, saying: “O Allāh, make Al-Madīnah dear to us as Mecca is dear or even more so. O Allāh, bless our Sā‘and our Mudd, and make it healthy for us, and transfer its fever to Al-Juhfah.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The Prophet specifically prayed against Al-Juhfah because it was then the abode of polytheism, so he prayed that fever would occupy them and prevent them from harming the Muslims. Al- Juhfah is a place between Mecca and Al-Madīnah, about 190 km from Mecca. Allāh answered the prayer of His Prophet. The food of Al-Madīnah was blessed, and it is what is intended in his saying: “and bless our Sā‘and our Mudd”, as they are units of measurement.

Moreover, the Prophet and his companions loved Al-Madīnah with a love that Allāh caused to remain in their hearts until they died upon it. In fact, when the Prophet came from a journey and saw Al-Madīnah, he would make his mount to go faster out of love for it.

Then, the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (Aisha) (may Allāh be pleased with her), mentions that when they first came to Al- Madīnah, it was the most plague-ridden land of Allāh. She said, completing the Ḥadīth: “When we reached Al-Madīnah, it was the unhealthiest of Allāh’s lands, and the valley of Bat·ḥan (the valley of Al-Madīnah) used to flow with impure colored water.” The meaning of her words is that the valley of Buthan in the south of Al-Madīnah used to have impure, decaying water stagnating in it throughout the year. From that arose an abundance of fevers and the spread of plague. Therefore, Allāh removed the plague and affliction from them, and Al-Madīnah became healthy with good air, as it is to this day.

It is worth mentioning two verses before this verse (in Habakkuk 3:3):

3. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. The location of “Tema” is the location of Al-Madīnah Al- Munawwarah. In fact, to this day, Tema is one of the districts of Al-Madīnah.

“Paran” is Mecca, according to the consensus of Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Paran is a Hebrew word, Arabicized, and it is one of the names of Mecca. It is the land where Ishmael lived, as in the Book of Genesis (Chapter 21): “And he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran.”

The evidence from this verse is that the glad tiding includes the prophethood of Muḥammad, for his message was completed between these two great cities.