Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Medina
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
The early history of Islam includes the significant event of Prophet Muhammad's migration, or Hijra, from Mecca to the city then known as Yathrib. After this migration, Yathrib gained a new status and a new name, which is central to Islamic history and geography. This question checks knowledge of that renamed city, an important point for general studies, world history and comparative religion.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Yathrib is the old name of the city that later came to be known as Medina, often called Al Madinah or Madinat al Nabi, meaning the city of the Prophet. After the Hijra in 622 CE, this city became the political and spiritual centre of the early Muslim community. The approach is to recall that Mecca was the original city from which the Prophet migrated, so it cannot be the new name of Yathrib. Taif and Baghdad are important in Islamic and Middle Eastern history but are different locations. The only correct match for renamed Yathrib is Medina.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that before Islam, the oasis town was known as Yathrib.
Step 2: Remember that Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Yathrib in the event called Hijra.
Step 3: After the migration, Yathrib became known as Medina or Madinat al Nabi, meaning the city of the Prophet.
Step 4: Check the options and identify Medina as the only name used for that city in Islamic tradition.
Step 5: Confirm that Mecca, Taif and Baghdad refer to other distinct cities, so select Medina as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Standard histories of Islam state that Yathrib was renamed Medina after the arrival of the Prophet and the establishment of the first Muslim community there. Maps of Saudi Arabia show Mecca and Medina as separate cities, reinforcing that Mecca is not a new name for Yathrib. Taif is another city in the region, and Baghdad is in Iraq, further confirming that only Medina can correctly be the new name of Yathrib.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mecca is the city from which the Prophet migrated, not the city he migrated to, so it cannot be the new name of Yathrib. Taif is an important city in the Hijaz region but has its own continuous identity and was never Yathrib. Baghdad, far away in Iraq, emerged later as a political and cultural centre of the Islamic world, but it is not connected with the renaming of Yathrib. These cities therefore do not answer the specific historical detail asked in the question.
Common Pitfalls:
Some learners confuse Mecca and Medina because both cities are central to Islam. They may mistakenly think that Yathrib was another name for Mecca. Others may guess Baghdad because of its later prominence in the Abbasid period. To avoid these pitfalls, it is useful to remember that the Hijra was a journey from Mecca to Yathrib, after which Yathrib became Medina, marking a clear two city relationship in early Islamic history.
Final Answer:
Correct answer: Medina
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