Origins of Jannat Al-Baqi Cemetery

Literally “Al-Baqi” means a tree garden. It is also known as ” Jannat Al-Baqi ” (th garden of heaven) sanctity, since in it are buried many of our Prophet Muhammad’s relatives and companions. The first one who was buried in Al-Baqi was Uthman bin Madhoon. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered certain trees to fall to bury his dear companion and place two stones over the grave.

The next year, Prophet Muhammad’s son Ibrahim, was buried in this cemetery too. After these incidents, inhabitants of Medina started to to use that site for the burial of dead people and this site had gradually witnessed considerable extension. About seven thousand from the companions and relatives of Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were buried there.

Henceforward, over the centuries, Al-Baqi cemetery remained a sacred site till our days.

First destruction of Al-Baqi Cemetery

The belief in visiting the graves and the shrines of prophet’s was considered by the Wahhabi’s to be idolatry and un-Islamic. Those who differed from this belief were killed.However, the rest of the Islamic World viewed those graves with deep reverence. It was highly revered and even Allah’s apostle companions asked to be buried near the prophet’s grave in this cemetery.

In 1218 AH, the Wahhabi’s entered Mecca and…