Jannatul Baqi
Jannatul Baqi, or the Garden of Heaven, is the main cemetery of Madinah. It is the resting place of many members of the Prophet’s (Peace and blessings be upon him) close family, around ten thousand of his companions (Sahabah), and many prominent pious personalities.
Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated that whenever it was her turn for the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) to spend the night with her, he would go out towards the end of the night to al-Baqi and say: “Peace be upon you, abode of a people who are believers. What you were promised will come to you tomorrow; you will receive it after some delay, and God willing, we shall join you. O Allah, grant forgiveness to the inhabitants of Baqi al-Gharqad.” [Muslim]
Baqi means the land where the roots of different trees are embedded. Gharqad refers to a thorny tree (Boxthorn) that was abundant in Baqi, hence the name Baqi al-Gharqad.
The first person to be buried in al-Baqi was As’ad Bin Zararah (May Allah be pleased with him), an Ansari companion who died shortly after the Prophet’s (Peace and blessings be upon him) migration to Madinah. The first of the Muhajirun (Emigrants) to be buried there was Uthman bin Mazoun (May Allah be pleased with him), who passed away soon after the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) returned from the Battle of Badr.
Notable personalities buried in Jannatul Baqi include:
• The wives of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him), also known as the Mothers of the Believers, including Aisha, Hafsa, and Sauda (May Allah be pleased with them). The exceptions are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (May Allah be pleased with her), buried in Makkah, and Maymuna bint al-Harith (May Allah be pleased with her), buried in Sarif.
• The daughters of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him): Fatima, Ruqayyah, Zainab, and Umme Kulthum (May Allah be pleased with them).
• Ebrahim (May Allah be pleased with him), the infant son of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) by Maria al-Qibtiyya.
• Hasan (May Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him).
• Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him), the uncle of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him).
• The aunts of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him): Safiyyah and Aatikah (May Allah be pleased with them).
• Uthman (May Allah be pleased with him), the third Caliph and son-in-law of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him).
The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: “On the Day of Qiyamah (the Day of Judgment), my grave shall be opened first, and I shall step forth. Then shall Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) step forth, and then Umar (May Allah be pleased with him). Then I shall proceed to Baqi and take all its inhabitants with me. Then we shall await the inhabitants of the graveyard of Makkah, who shall meet me halfway between Makkah and Madinah.” [Tirmidhi]
During different periods of history, domes and structures were built over famous graves in Al-Baqi to identify the inhabitants. However, on April 21, 1925, King Abdul Aziz Al Saud ordered the demolition of all mausoleums, domes, and structures in Jannatul Baqi to comply with the hadith prohibiting the construction of structures over graves. Today, only a few graves in Jannatul Baqi can be identified.
Visiting Jannatul Baqi, preferably on a Friday, and supplicating for those buried there is considered virtuous.
