Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, " I have been commanded to go to a town which will devour all towns. People call it Yathrib, but it is Medina. It drives away people as the bellows drives away the impurity of iron.”
Sufyan b. Abu Zuhair told of hearing God’s messenger say, "The Yemen will be conquered and- people will come driving their camels gently, removing their families and those who are under their authority, but Medina would be best for them if they only knew. Syria will be conquered and people will come driving their camels gently, removing their families and those who are under their authority, but Medina would be best for them if they only knew. ‘Iraq will be conquered and people will come driving their camels gently, removing their families and those who are under their authority, but Medina would be best for them if they only knew.”
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))
'Abdallah b. ‘Umar told of the vision the Prophet had about Medina. He said, “I saw a black woman with dishevelled hair go out of Medina and settle at Mahya'a, and interpreted it as meaning that the pestilence of Medina had been transferred to Mahya'a, which is al-Juhfa.”
