Is it permissible to name the city Yathrib, and what is the meaning of Yathrib, and which is more correct, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah or Al-Madinah An-Nabawiyah, and what are five correct names for the city?
It is disliked to name the city Yathrib, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that and changed its name from Yathrib to Al-Madinah. This is because the word "Yathrib" is derived from "al-tathreeb," which means rebuke and blame, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved good names. Al-Madinah was also called by other names, including: Al-Madinah, Al-Dar or Dar Al-Hijrah, Tabah, and Taybah. There is no objection to calling it Al-Madinah Al-Nabawiyah or Al-Munawwarah.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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