Is it not permissible for disbelievers to enter al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, just as they are not allowed to enter Makkah?
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Question:
May Allah reward you. The Honorable Shaykh says: It is well known that Makkah, which Allah has honored, is not to be entered by disbelievers. Is al-Madinah subject to the same ruling in this regard?
Answer:
No, it is not al-Madinah; it is Makkah where disbelievers are not allowed to enter. Even though al-Madinah has a sacred precinct (Haram) like the Haram of Makkah, where one does not cut its trees or relieve oneself, it is permissible for a disbeliever to enter the Haram of al-Madinah. This is because the disbelievers used to come to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in al-Madinah and enter upon him in the mosque. For example, the delegation of the Christians of Najran entered upon him, and likewise Thumamah ibn Uthal, who was a disbeliever before he embraced Islam, was tied up in the pillar of the mosque while he was still a disbeliever, and then he embraced Islam afterwards. Also, 'Adi ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon him before he embraced Islam while he was in the mosque. The disbelievers used to enter upon him (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in his mosque, and he would walk among them.
So it is permissible for disbelievers to enter al-Madinah for a need, not for residence and settlement, but only for a need, and then they return to their lands, just as they did during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the Makkah Haram, the Copts do not enter it, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Tawbah 9:28]. This is specific to the Sacred Mosque.
May Allah reward you. The Honorable Shaykh says: It is well known that Makkah, which Allah has honored, is not to be entered by disbelievers. Is al-Madinah subject to the same ruling in this regard?
Answer:
No, it is not al-Madinah; it is Makkah where disbelievers are not allowed to enter. Even though al-Madinah has a sacred precinct (Haram) like the Haram of Makkah, where one does not cut its trees or relieve oneself, it is permissible for a disbeliever to enter the Haram of al-Madinah. This is because the disbelievers used to come to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in al-Madinah and enter upon him in the mosque. For example, the delegation of the Christians of Najran entered upon him, and likewise Thumamah ibn Uthal, who was a disbeliever before he embraced Islam, was tied up in the pillar of the mosque while he was still a disbeliever, and then he embraced Islam afterwards. Also, 'Adi ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon him before he embraced Islam while he was in the mosque. The disbelievers used to enter upon him (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in his mosque, and he would walk among them.
So it is permissible for disbelievers to enter al-Madinah for a need, not for residence and settlement, but only for a need, and then they return to their lands, just as they did during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the Makkah Haram, the Copts do not enter it, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، هل لا يجوز للكفار أن يدخلوا المدينة المنورة مثل مكة؟ لمعالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.