Hadith 227

Mishkat al-Masabih

Book 10: The Rites of Pilgrimage

Chapter 16

The Sacred Territory of Medina. May God most high protect it - Section 1

باب حرم المدينة حرسها الله تعالى - الفصل الأول

Mishkat al-Masabih 2738
وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ الله سمى الْمَدِينَة طابة» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Jabir b. Samura told that he heard God’s messenger say, “God called Medina Taba.”( Taj al-'Arus says the objection to the name Yathrib was owing to the fact that the root from which this name comes has the meaning of corruption. Therefore Taba, which comes from a root meaning to be good, sweet, or pure, was considered better. Other forms which have been used are Taiba, al-Mutayyaba (or al-Mutayyiba)) Muslim transmitted it.