Yathrib / Medina - change of name? when? why?
-
peace All,
Apparently, "Yathrib" was changed to "Medina", according to traditional history.
Has anyone studied this? When did this supposedly take place?
Why would followers of Al Quran / Islam change what Al Quran called the city to something else?
This could be direct evidence of name-changing.
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medina
-
Salam,
Found some hints for "why"
The Holy Koran also has thought us in chapter Al-Ah'zab verse 13, that the name of the city was known as Yathrib, Yathrib was a name of a village which a group of Arabs settled in it during the ancient time. Thus history has mentioned that when people of Prophet (Nuh) Noah came out from the ship after the flood, the area became too narrow for them to live, knowing that Abil tribe was also among them, whereas their leader (Yathrib bun Abil) the fourth grandson of Nuh (Noah) abled to build city and then settle in it. Al-Amaleek also has settled in the same city after they sent Abliya tribe away from the city. Indeed, the named Yathrib was well known during the past time. This is because the name Yathrib has been found in an old history writings and designs. In order to reason this claim, we say, the city was mentioned in Ptolemy geography with the name of Yathrib. It has also came in As-Sabi'ah sculptures that, the word (Medinata) which means Aramaic language as ( Himaa) means Hotness. Then it was summarized and then became Al-Madian. Naming the city as Yathrib was not accepted by the Holy Prophet, simply because he insinuated the meaning of the word Yathrib and said the word means (blame and scolding), then he changed the name to Al-Medina. So after he honored the city with his immigration then it came known as Medinatu Rasul (means the city of the messenger)
- http//www.rafed.net/towns/english/madena.html
Another for "when"
630's? The nickname 'Prophet's Town' becomes the effective name of Yathrib, 'Madina an-Nabiy', short 'Madina'.
- http//lexicorient.com/e.o/madina.htm