''Jannat al-Baqī'' (, "The Baqi'", ) is the oldest and first Islamic cemetery of

Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...

located in the

Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...

i region of present-day

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

. It is also known as ''Baqi al-Gharqad'' (, meaning "Baqiʿ of the

Boxthorn ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...

"). Al-Baqi is reportedly founded by Prophet

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

and serves as the burial place for many of his relatives and companions, establishing it as one of the two holiest cemeteries in Islamic tradition. Monuments and mosques built on or near al-Baqīʿ were demolished under the

Emirate of Diriyah The first Saudi state (), officially the Emirate of Diriyah (), was established in 1744, when the emir of a Najdi town called Diriyah, Muhammad I, and the religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab signed a pact to found a socio-religious ...

in 1806. After their reconstruction, they were again demolished in 1926 under the

Sultanate of Nejd The Sultanate of Nejd (, ') was the third iteration of the Third Saudi State, from 1921 to 1926. It was a monarchy led by the House of Saud, and a legal predecessor of modern-day Saudi Arabia. This version of the Third Saudi State was created ...

, in accordance with their

Wahhabi Wahhabism is an exonym for a Salafi revivalist movement within Sunni Islam named after the 18th-century Hanbali scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. It was initially established in the central Arabian region of Najd and later spread to other ...

interpretation of

Islamic law Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' refers to immutable, intan ...

regarding

idolatry Idolatry is the worship of an idol as though it were a deity. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the Abrahamic ...

. These demolitions were condemned across the Islamic world, but the

Saudi government The politics of Saudi Arabia takes place in the context of a unitary absolute monarchy, along traditional Islamist lines, where the King is both the head of state and government. Decisions are, to a large extent, made on the basis of consult ...

has rejected calls for reconstruction.

History

When Muhammad arrived in Medina from

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

in September 622 CE, al-Baqi' was a land covered with boxthorn. According to historical records, after Muhammad’s arrival, the houses of Medina developed near al-Baqi', which was therefore considered the public tomb. The bramble growth was cleared, and the place was consecrated to be the future cemetery of the Muslims who died in al-Madina. Additionally, al-Baqi’ was introduced as a location with Nakhl on its east side and houses on its west side. In fact, before its demolition, al-Baqi’ was situated behind the houses in the city. During the construction of the Prophet’s Mosque on the site he purchased from two orphan children after his migration from Mecca to Medina, As'ad ibn Zurarah, one of Muhammad's companions, died. Muhammad chose the spot to be a cemetery, and As'ad was the first individual to be buried in al-Baqi' among the Ansar. While Muhammad was outside Medina for the

Battle of Badr The Battle of Badr or sometimes called The Raid of Badr ( ; ''Ghazwahu Badr''), also referred to as The Day of the Criterion (, ; ''Yawm al-Furqan'') in the Qur'an and by Muslims, was fought on 13 March 624 CE (17 Ramadan, 2 AH), near the pre ...

, his daughter Ruqayyah fell ill and died in 624. She was buried in al-Baqi'. Ruqayyah was the first person from the

Ahl al-Bayt () refers to the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Sunni Islam, the term has also been extended to all descendants of the Banu Hashim (Muhammad's clan) and even to all Muslims. In Shia Islam, the term is limited to Muhammad, his daugh ...

(Household of Muhammad) to be buried in this cemetery. Shortly after Muhammad arrived from Badr, Uthman bin Maz'oon died in 3 AH (624/625 CE) and was buried in al-Baqi'. He was considered the first companion of Muhammad from the

Muhajirun The ''Muhajirun'' (, singular , ) were the converts to Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad's advisors and relatives, who emigrated from Mecca to Medina; the event is known in Islam as the '' Hijra''. The early Muslims from Medina are called the ...

to be buried in the cemetery.

also referred to him as the first ‘among us to go to the hereafter,’ and he named the place where Uthman bin Maz’oon is buried as Rawhā. When his youngest son Ibrahim died, Muhammad commanded that he be buried there as well. He watered the grave and called this place Zawrā. Following his instructions, two of his daughters Zainab and

Umm Kulthum Umm Kulthum (; 31 December 1898 – 3 February 1975) was an Egyptians, Egyptian singer and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title (). Immensely popular throughout the Middle East and beyond, Umm Kul ...

, were also buried near the grave of Uthman bin Maz'oon. Initially, the third caliph,

Uthman Uthman ibn Affan (17 June 656) was the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruling from 644 until his assassination in 656. Uthman, a second cousin, son-in-law, and notable companion of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, played a major role ...

,Textual Sources for the Study of Islam, by Knappert, Jan, and Andrew Rippin was buried in the large neighbouring Jewish graveyard. The first expansion of al-Baqi' was carried out by

Muawiyah I Mu'awiya I (–April 680) was the founder and first caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, ruling from 661 until his death. He became caliph less than thirty years after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and immediately after the four Rashid ...

, the first Umayyad caliph. To honor Uthman, Muawiyah incorporated the extensive Jewish cemetery into al-Baqi’s burial grounds. The

Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member o ...

constructed the first dome over Uthman’s grave in al-Baqi’. Over time, numerous domes and structures were built or reconstructed over various graves in al-Baqi’.

Demolition

First demolition

The cemetery was demolished by forces loyal to the Wahhabi-Saudi alliance in 1806 and 1925 (or 1926). At the beginning of the nineteenth century, during the

control over Mecca and Medina in 1806, many religious buildings, including tombs and mosques, were demolished. This demolition occurred both inside and outside al-Baqi, in accordance with the Wahhabi interpretation of Islamic doctrine that forbids idolatry. These structures were razed to the ground due to Wahhabi claims of grave worship.

Second demolition

The House of Saud regained control of the Hijaz in 1924 or 1925. The following year, King Ibn Saud granted permission to destroy the site, with religious authorization provided by

Qadi A qadi (; ) is the magistrate or judge of a Sharia court, who also exercises extrajudicial functions such as mediation, guardianship over orphans and minors, and supervision and auditing of public works. History The term '' was in use from ...

Abd Allah ibn Bulayhid. The demolition began on 21 April 1926 (or 1925) by the ''

Ikhwan The Ikhwān (, ), commonly known as Ikhwān man Aṭāʿa Allah (, 'Brethren of those who obey God'), was a Wahhabism, Wahhabi religious militia made up of traditionally nomadic tribesmen which formed a significant military force of the ruler Ibn ...

'' ("The Brothers"), a Wahabbi religious militia. The demolition included destroying "even the simplest of the gravestones.". The British convert Eldon Rutter compared the demolition to an earthquake: "All over the cemetery, nothing was to be seen but little indefinite mounds of earth and stones, pieces of timber, iron bars, blocks of stone, and a broken rubble of cement and bricks, strewn about." The second demolition was discussed in the '' Majles-e Shora-ye Melli'' (the National Consultative Assembly of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

), and a group of representatives was sent to Hijaz to investigate. In recent years (1982), efforts have been made by

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

religious scholars and political figures to restore the cemetery and its shrines. Both Sunni and

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

communities protested the destruction, and rallies are held annually. The day is regarded as ''Yaum-e Gham'' (" Day of Sorrow"). Prominent Sunni theologians and intellectuals have condemned the "unfit" situation of the Baqi cemetery. However, the Saudi authorities have ignored all criticism and rejected any requests for the restoration of the tombs and mausoleums.

Burials

Islamic religious people buried at Jannat al-Baqi'

Unknown burial locations

* Mohammad Hayya al-Sindhi, scholar *

Imam Shamil Imam Shamil (; ; ; ; ; 26 June 1797 – 4 February 1871) was the political, military, and spiritual leader of North Caucasian resistance to Imperial Russia in the 1800s, the third Imam of the Caucasian Imamate (1840–1859), and a Sunni Muslim ...

, Muslim leader and freedom fighter from the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy (; 28 October 1928 – 10 March 2010), also referred to as ''Tantawi'', was an influential Islamic scholar in Egypt. From 1986 to 1996, he was the Grand Mufti of Egypt. In 1996, president Hosni Mubarak appointed him as ...

, scholar *

Idris of Libya Idris (, Muhammad Idris bin Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussi; 13 March 1890 – 25 May 1983) was King of Libya from 24 December 1951 until his ousting in the 1 September 1969 coup d'état. He ruled over the United Kingdom of Libya from 1951 to 19 ...

, King of Libya *

Hasan as-Senussi Sayyid Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi as-Senussi (August 1928 – 28 April 1992) was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Libya from 1956 to 1969, when the Libyan coup d'état resulted in the monarchy being abolished. Biography Hasan was born i ...

, Crown Prince of Libya *

Zakariyya Kandhlawi Zakariyya Kandhlawi (; 3 February 1898 – 24 May 1982) was a mid-twentieth-century traditionalist Sunni scholar and an authority in the study of hadith, also known as Sheikh al-Hadith, hailing from India. He was an influential member and ideol ...

, scholar and author of Fazael-e-A'maal * Rafiuddin Deobandi, Vice-Chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband *

Badre Alam Merathi Badre Alam Merathi (; 1898 – 29 October 1965) was a mid-twentieth-century hadith scholar and poet originally from Meerut, initially migrated to Pakistan and eventually settled in Medina. Best known as the interpreter of Anwar Shah Kashmiri's t ...

, compiler of '' Fayd al-Bari ala Sahih al-Bukhari''

Gallery

File:Baqi Halimah.jpg, Grave of Halimah File:Baqi 4Imams&Abbas crop.jpg, Graves of Fatimah (''single grave in front''),

Hasan Hassan, Hasan, Hassane, Haasana, Hassaan, Asan, Hassun, Hasun, Hassen, Hasson or Hasani may refer to: People *Hassan (given name), Arabic given name and a list of people with that given name *Hassan (surname), Arabic, Jewish, Irish, and Scotti ...

, Imam Zain al-Abideen,

Muhammad al-Baqir Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (; ) was a descendant of the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the Twelve Imams, twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sad ...

and

Jafar as-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Islamic j ...

(''2nd row left to right, 4 graves side by side''), and

‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib () was a paternal uncle and sahabi (companion) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, just three years older than his nephew. A wealthy merchant, during the early years of Islam he protected Muhammad while he was in Mecca, ...

(single grave at right) File:Grave Ajvaje(wife) nabi 1.JPG, Grave of wives of Muhammad, left to right:

Maria al-Qibtiyya , better known as or (), or Maria the Copt, died 637, was an Egyptian woman who, along with her sister Sirin bint Shamun, was given as a slave to the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 628 by Al-Muqawqis, a Christian governor of Alexandria, during ...

Juwayriyya bint al-Harith Juwayriya bint al-Harith (; ) was the eighth wife of Muhammad and so, considered to be a Mother of the Believers. Family background She was the daughter of Al-Hārith ibn Abi Dirar, the chief of Banu Mustaliq, who was defeated with his tribe in ...

, Hind bint Abi Umayya, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Zaynab bint Khuzayma,

Sawda bint Zamʿa Sawdah bint Zamah () was the second wife of Muhammad and regarded as "Umm-ul-Mu'mineen" (Arabic: أمّ المؤمنين, romanized: ''ʾumm al- muʾminīn''), "Mother of the Believers". Early life Sawdah was born and raised in Mecc ...

Hafsa bint Umar Hafsa bint Umar (; 605–665) was the fourth wife of Muhammad and a daughter of the second caliph Umar (). In Islamic writings, her name is thus often prefixed by the title "Mother of the Believers" (Arabic: أمّ المؤمنين, romanized ...

Safiyya bint Huyayy Safiyya bint Huyayy ( ) was a Jewish convert to Islam from the Banu Nadir tribe. After the Battle of Khaybar in 628, she was widowed and taken captive by the early Muslims and subsequently became Muhammad's tenth wife. Like all other wome ...

Ramla bint Abi Sufyan Ramla bint Abi Sufyan ibn Harb (; ), commonly known by her Umm Habiba (), was a wife of Muhammad. Early life She was born in circa 589 or 594. She was the daughter of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and Safiyyah bint Abi al-'As. Abu Sufyan was the chief o ...

, Aisha bint Abi Bakr File:Grave of Ibrahim at Jannat-ul-Baqi, Medina.JPG, The grave of

Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad () was the son of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and Maria al-Qibtiyya. He died at the age of 2. Birth, illness and death 200px, Grave of Ibrahim at Jannat-ul-Baqi, Medina According to Ibn Kathir, quoting Ibn Sa'd ...

File:Baqi Othman.jpg, Grave of

, with the Masjid an-Nabawi in the background, view towards the west. The Green Dome is also visible. File:Grave abdullah bin Jafar(left)and Akil bin abi Talib.jpg, Graves of Abdullah ibn Ja'far and

Aqeel ibn Abi Talib ʿAqīl ibn Abī Ṭālib (lit. "Aqil the Son of Abu Talib"; full name , ), , was a cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and an elder brother of Ali and Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.. Having fought on the side of the Qurayshi rulers of Mecca against ...

File:Baqi Malek&Nafi.jpg, Graves of

Malik ibn Anas Malik ibn Anas (; –795) also known as Imam Malik was an Arab Islamic scholar and traditionalist who is the eponym of the Maliki school, one of the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence in Sunni Islam.Schacht, J., "Mālik b. Anas", in: ''E ...

and Nafi‘ al-Madani File:Grave Fatema(single one) and other Imams.JPG, Imam Zain al-Abideen's desecrated grave at Al-Baqi' in Saudi Arabia

References

External links

Visitation of Baqi

The oldest photos of Jannat al-Baqi

Jannat al-Baqi website

Map of Jannat al-Baqi

Map of Jannat al-Baqi according to Sunni Muslim sources
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baqi Buildings and structures in Medina Cemeteries in Saudi Arabia Family of Muhammad Burial sites of the Senussi dynasty Muslim cemeteries