Al-Baqi Cemetery

Jannat al-Baqī (Template:Langx, "The Baqi'", Template:IPA) is the oldest and first Islamic cemetery of Medina<ref name="EI" /> located in the Hejazi<ref name="MWGD2001">Template:Cite book</ref> region of present-day Saudi Arabia. It is also known as Baqi al-Gharqad (Template:Langx, meaning "Baqiʿ of the Boxthorn").<ref name="EI">Template:EI3</ref>

Al-Baqi is reportedly founded by Prophet Muhammad 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 in 1806. After their reconstruction, they were again demolished in 1926 under the Sultanate of Nejd, in accordance with their Wahhabi interpretation of Islamic law regarding idolatry.<ref name="EI" /> These demolitions were condemned across the Islamic world, but the Saudi government has rejected calls for reconstruction.<ref name="EI" />

History

When Muhammad arrived in Medina from Mecca 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.<ref name="EI" /> 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.<ref name="Najmi">Template:Cite book</ref>

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, 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 (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'.<ref name="EI" /> He was considered the first companion of Muhammad from the Muhajirun to be buried in the cemetery. Muhammad 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following his instructions, two of his daughters Zainab and Umm Kulthum, were also buried near the grave of Uthman bin Maz'oon.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Initially, the third caliph, Uthman,<ref name="Knappert et al.">Textual Sources for the Study of Islam, by Knappert, Jan, and Andrew Rippin</ref> was buried in the large neighbouring Jewish graveyard. The first expansion of al-Baqi' was carried out by Muawiyah I, the first Umayyad caliph. To honor Uthman, Muawiyah incorporated the extensive Jewish cemetery into al-Baqi’s burial grounds. The Umayyad Caliphate 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<ref name="EI"/> by forces loyal to the Wahhabi-Saudi alliance in 1806 and 1925<ref name="Mohammadi">Template:Cite journal</ref> (or 1926).<ref name="EI"/><ref name="Islamica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, during the Wahhabi control over Mecca and Medina in 1806, many religious buildings, including tombs and mosques,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> were demolished. This demolition occurred both inside and outside al-Baqi,<ref name="Islamic Magazine">Template:Cite magazine</ref> in accordance with the Wahhabi interpretation of Islamic doctrine that forbids idolatry.<ref name="EI" /> These structures were razed to the ground<ref name="Islamica" /><ref name="al-Islam">Template:Cite web</ref> due to Wahhabi claims of grave worship.<ref name="cgie">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Second demolition

The House of Saud regained control of the Hijaz in 1924<ref name="Islamica" /> or 1925.<ref name="EI" /> The following year, King Ibn Saud granted permission to destroy the site, with religious authorization provided by Qadi Abd Allah ibn Bulayhid. The demolition began on 21 April 1926<ref name="Islamica" /> (or 1925)<ref name="Mohammadi" /><ref name="Afshin" /> by the Ikhwan ("The Brothers"), a Wahabbi religious militia.<ref name="CASS">Template:Cite web</ref> The demolition included destroying "even the simplest of the gravestones.".<ref name="EI" /> 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."<ref name="Islamica" />

The second demolition was discussed in the Majles-e Shora-ye Melli (the National Consultative Assembly of Iran), and a group of representatives was sent to Hijaz to investigate. In recent years (1982),<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> efforts have been made by Iranian religious scholars and political figures to restore the cemetery and its shrines.<ref name="Islamica"/> Both Sunni and Shia communities protested the destruction,<ref name="EI"/><ref name="Afshin">Template:Cite book</ref> and rallies are held annually.<ref name="EI"/><ref name="Hassan">Template:Cite news</ref> The day is regarded as Yaum-e Gham ("Day of Sorrow").<ref name="Afshin"/> 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.<ref name="Islamica"/>

Notable early burials

Chronological list of distinguished members of the Ahl al-Bayt and companions of the Prophet interred at Jannat al-Baqi:

Name	Death year (CE)	Notes
Notable members of Ahl al-Bayt
Ruqayya bint Muhammad	March 624	Daughter of the Prophet and wife of Uthman.
Zaynab bint Khuzayma	625	Fifth wife of the Prophet, also known as Umm al-Masakin (mother of the poor).
Zainab bint Muhammad	629	Eldest daughter of the Prophet.
Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad	630	Daughter of the Prophet and also wife of Uthman.
Rayhana bint Zayd	Template:Circa	Wife or concubine of the Prophet, was a Jewish convert to Islam from the Banu Nadir
Ibrahim ibn Muhammad	Template:Circa	Son of the Prophet Muhammad; died in infancy
Fatima bint Muhammad	632	Daughter of Muhammad, wife of Ali. The exact burial place is not known, though many traditions hold that her grave is in Jannat al-Baqī.
Maria al-Qibtiyya	Template:Circa	Twelfth wife of the Prophet. She was an Egyptian (Copt) woman gifted to Muhammad in 628 as a slave.
Zaynab bint Jahsh	640 / 641	Seventh wife of the Prophet.
Sawdah bint Zam'ah	Template:Circa	Second wife of the Prophet.
Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib	Template:Circa	Paternal uncle of the Prophet.
Umm Habiba	664	Ninth wife of the Prophet.
Safiyya bint Huyayy	Template:Circa	Tenth wife of the Prophet, originating from a Jewish tribe Banu Nadir.
Hafsa bint Umar	Template:Circa	Fourth wife of Muhammad and daughter of Umar
Hasan ibn Ali	670	Grandson of the Prophet and son of Ali and Fatima. Briefly caliph in early Islamic history.
Aqil ibn Abi Talib	670 or 683	Cousin of the Prophet and elder brother of Ali.
Juwayriya bint al-Harith	676	Eighth wife of the Prophet.
Aisha	Template:Circa	Third and youngest wife of Prophet Muhammad and daughter of first caliph Abu Bakr.
Umm Salama	Template:Circa	Sixth wife of the Prophet.
Ali al-Sajjad	Template:Circa	4th Shia Imam; great-grandson of Prophet Muhammad.
Muhammad al-Baqir	Template:Circa	5th Shia Imam, known for transmitting knowledge.
Ja'far al-Sadiq	765	6th Shia Imam, renowned scholar of hadith, Fiqh, and science.
Isma'il ibn Ja'far	Template:Circa	7th Ismaili Shia Imam; son of Ja'far al-Sadiq. Isma'ili sources hold that he was buried in Salamiyah, while other sources place his burial in al-Baqī<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Notable Companions of the Prophet Muhammad
As'ad ibn Zurara	623	He suffered from an illness resembling diphtheria or meningitis. He is reported to be the first man buried in al-Baqi<ref name="Saad32">Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.</ref>
Uthman ibn Maz'un	624	Was either the first Companion or the first Muhajir to be buried in the al-Baqi'
Khunays ibn Hudhafa	Template:Circa	Died 25 months after the Hijra. His funeral prayer was led by Muhammad.<ref>Ibn Saad/Bewley vol. 3 p. 307.</ref>
Abu Salama	625	He was also a cousin and a foster-brother of Muhammad.
Nusaybah bint Ka'ab	634	One of the early women to convert to Islam and a warrior who participated in the battles of Uhud, Hunain, and Yamamah.<ref name=":06">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":12">Template:Cite book</ref>
Halima bint Abi Dhu'ayb	Template:Circa	Foster-mother and Wet nurse of the Prophet.
Ubayy ibn Ka'b	Template:Circa	He is notable for the Quran codex he compiled.
Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud	Template:Circa	Regarded by Sunni tradition as one of the greatest early interpreters of the Quran.<ref name="EB">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Ludwig W. Adamec (2009), Historical Dictionary of Islam, p.134. Scarecrow Press. Template:ISBN.</ref>He was buried at night in al-Baqi<ref name="Saad3">Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr. Loon:TaHa Publishers.</ref>
Abu Sufyan ibn Harb	Template:Circa	A prominent opponent-turned companion of the Prophet.
Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf	Template:Circa	One of the wealthiest among the companions, he is known for being one of the ten to whom Paradise was promised.
Uthman	656	Son-in-law of the Prophet and the 3rd Caliphate. He was initially reportedly to be buried in al-Baqī, but due to local resistance, was instead interred in a Jewish cemetery, which was later incorporated into al-Baqī by the Umayyads.
Zayd ibn Thabit	Template:Circa	Personal scribe of the prophet Muhammad, serving as the chief recorder of the Quranic text.
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas	674	Military Commander and Governor of Kufa.<ref name=":02">Template:Cite book</ref>
Hakim ibn Hizam	Template:Circa	Respected merchant and a key figure in the Quraysh tribe and nephew of Khadija bint Khuwaylid
Hassan ibn Thabit	Template:Circa	Arabian poet, who was best known for poems in defence of the prophet.
Abu Hurayra	679	Companion of the prophet and considered the most prolific hadith narrator.<ref>Abgad Elulm, pp.2, 179.</ref>
Abu Sa'īd al-Khūdrī	7th-Century	Prominent companion of the Prophet and prolific hadith narrator, He is believed to have died around 693, though some sources suggest 683.

Gallery

• 
  Grave of Halimah
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Graves of Fatimah (single grave in front), Hasan, Zain al-Abideen, Muhammad al-Baqir and Jafar as-Sadiq (2nd row left to right, 4 graves side by side), and ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (single grave at right)
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Grave of wives of Muhammad, left to right: Maria al-Qibtiyya, Juwayriyya bint al-Harith, Hind bint Abi Umayya, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Zaynab bint Khuzayma, Sawda bint Zamʿa, Hafsa bint Umar, Safiyya bint Huyayy, Ramla bint Abi Sufyan, Aisha bint Abi Bakr
• Error creating thumbnail:
  The grave of Ibrahim ibn Muhammad
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Grave of Uthman, with the Masjid an-Nabawi in the background, view towards the west. The Green Dome is also visible.
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Graves of Abdullah ibn Ja'far and Aqeel ibn Abi Talib
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Graves of Malik ibn Anas and Nafi‘ al-Madani
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Zain al-Abideen's grave at Al-Baqi' in Saudi Arabia

See also

• Cemetery of Bab as-Saghir
• Holiest sites in Islam
• Jannatul Mualla

External links

• Visitation of Baqi
• The oldest photos of Jannat al-Baqi Template:In lang
• Jannat al-Baqi website
• Map of Jannat al-Baqi
• History of the Cemetery of Jannat al-Baqi
• The Baqi Collection Photos
• Map of Jannat al-Baqi according to Sunni Muslim sources