Jannatul Baqi - The History

Jannatul Baqi - The History

 Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Baqi

Maqbaratu l-Baqī' (Arabic: مقبرة البقيع‎, Al-Baqi' Cemetery) is a cemetery in Medina, Saudi Arabia, located to the southeast of the Masjid al-Nabawi. The mosque is built where the Islamic prophet Muhammad used to live, and is currently buried. The cemetery therefore holds much significance. It contains many of Muhammad's relatives and companions. Many traditions relate Muhammad issuing a prayer every time he passed it.

The cemetery is also known as Jannatu l-Baqi' (جنة البقيع), meaning "The Garden of Heaven" and Baqi'u l-Qarqad, which means "Orchard of the Boxthorn Trees".

A Jewish graveyard was once located behind Jannatu l-Baqi'. The Umayyad rulers took down the wall of the Jewish cemetery and widened the Muslim graveyard to enclose the tomb of Uthman ibn Affan within it.^[1]

History

When Muhammad arrived at Medina from Makkah in September 622, al-Baqi was a land covered with Lycium shawii boxthorn trees.

During the construction of the al-Masjid al-Nabawi, on the site he purchased from two orphan children when he arrived after his migration from Mecca to Medina, Asa'ad Bin Zararah, one of Muhammad's companions died. Muhammad chose the spot to be a cemetery and Asa'ad was the first individual to be buried in Al-Baqi cemetery among the Ansar.

While Muhammad was outside Medina for the Battle of Badr, his daughter Ruqayyah fell sick and died in 624.

Shortly after Muhammad arrived from Badr, Uthman bin Maz'oon died and was buried in al-Baqi'. He was considered the first companion of Muhammad from the Muhajirun to be buried in Al-Baqi' Cemetery.

Earlier Calif Uthman ibn Affan was buried in the huge neighbouring Jewish grave yard. The first enlargement of the Al-Baqi' cemetery in history was made by Muawiyah I, the first Umayyad leader. Muawiyah I in order to honour Uthman ibn Affan, included the huge Jewish grave yard where Calif Uthman ibn Affan was buried into the Al-Baqi' cemetery. The Umayyad Caliphate built the first dome in Al-Baqi' over his grave. During different times of history many domes and structures were built or rebuilt over many famous graves in Al-Baqi'.

Demolitions

Mausoleum of containing the bodies of Imam Hasan, Ali, Baqir, Sadiq and Fatimah prior to its destruction.

The cemetery after the 1925 demolition. The Mosque of the Prophet is in the background.

On 1 May 1925, the mausoleums in al-Baqi' were destroyed by King Ibn Saud. In the same year, he also demolished the tombs of holy persons at Mualla Cemetery in Mecca where Muhammad's first wife Khadijah, his grandfather and other ancestors are buried. This happened despite protests by the international Islamic community.^[2]

Notable interments

Kin of Muhammad

• All of the wives of Muhammad (also known as Mothers of the Believers i.e. Muslims)
• Ibrahim, Muhammad's son by Maria al-Qibtiyya, died in infancy
• Roqayyah, daughter of Mohammad and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
• Fatima bint al-Asad, aunt of Muhammad and mother of Imam Ali; other aunts including Safiya and Aatika
• It is disputed that Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad is buried there but her family and their followers have always denied that it was her grave. They state that after burial at night, her grave was not disclosed.^[3]
• ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, uncle of Muhammad.
• Fatima bint Hizam, known as Umm ul-Banin, who married Imam Ali after the death of Fatimah; mother of four children including Abbass ibn Ali who died defending Hussain ibn Ali in the Battle of Karbala and Al-Abbas ibn Ali, Husayn ibn Ali, Uthman ibn Ali, Abdullah ibn Ali and Jafar ibn Ali.
• Imam Hasan ibn Ali, grandson of Muhammad, son of Fatimah and Ali.
• Imam ‘Alī ibn Ḥusayn, known as Zayn al-Abidin, grandson of Fatima Zahra who is the only adult male that survived the Battle of Karbala because he was sick and could not fight. He was the fourth Shia Imam.
• Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, son of ‘Alī ibn Ḥusayn, the fifth Imam according to Shia (only Twelvers, not Zaydis)
• Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq, son of Muhammad al-Baqir, the sixth Imam according to Shia (only Twelvers, not Zaydis) teacher of Jābir ibn Hayyān, Nuʿmān ibn Thābit, Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i, Malik ibn Anas, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Other notable figures

• Uthman ibn Affan, companion of Muhammad and third Caliph; originally buried outside of Baqi in the huge Jewish grave yard, but Baqi cemetery was later expanded by Moawiyah I to include the Jewish graveyard and bring the Uthman ibn Affan's, grave in to the Baqi cemetery
• Uthman Bin Mazoun, companion of Muhammad
• Malik ibn Anas, Islamic jurist
• Mohammad Hayya Al-Sindhi, scholar
• Imam Shamil, Muslim leader and freedom fighter from the Caucuses
• Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, scholar
• Idris of Libya, King of Libya
• Hasan as-Senussi, Crown Prince of Libya
• Shaukat Ali Hayat, Islamic scholar

  References

  1. Textual Sources for the Study of Islam By Knappert, Jan, Andrew Rippin
  2. http://www.al-islam.org/shrines/baqi.htm. HISTORY OF THE CEMETERY OF JANNAT AL-BAQI
  3. Sayyid Baqir Imrani, [1], Islamic Insight, Accessed september 01, 2012.