Explore Sacred Historical Sites in Madinah

Islamic History

Sacred historical sites in Medina

Mawlana Muhammad Asif Iqbal Attari Madani

The eminent city of Medina is full of blessings due to the many sacred historical sites therein. The people of faith have been showing their love and devotion to these places since the beginning of Islam. Here are some notable places.

Jannat al-BaqīꜤ

This is an ancient, famous and blessed cemetery located in the south east side of al-Masjid al-Nabawī. The area was designated for the burial of the Prophet’s companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “I was commanded [to choose] this place.”^[1]

In Arabic, the word “BaqīꜤ” refers to a field full of trees. The cemetery became known as BaqīꜤ al-Gharqad because the area was previously full of boxthorn trees.^[2] The Arabs usually call the cemeteries jannat, which is why it also began to be referred to as Jannat al-BaqīꜤ.^[3] It was a small area initially and its first expansion took place during the era of Sayyidunā Amīr MuꜤāwiyah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ. During the reign of the Ottomans, it was 15,000 square metres, and after further expansions, it is now approximately 56,000 square meters.^[4] This is the most virtuous cemetery in the world. Approximately 10,000 Companions, members of the Ahl al Bayt, the TābiꜤīn and the generation after them, the saint and other fortunate Muslims are laid to rest there.^[5] Here are some of the famous people laid to rest therein:

* Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. ꜤAffān. رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

* Sayyidunā Imam Hasan. رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

* Lady Fatimah. رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا

* Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullah b. MasꜤūd. رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

* Sayyidunā ꜤAbbās b. ꜤAbd al-Muṭṭalib. رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

* Sayyidunā ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān b. ꜤAwf. رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

* Lady ꜤĀˈishah and the rest of the Prophet’s wives. رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُم

* Ibrahim b. Muḥammad the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

* Sayyidunā Abu Hurairah. رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

* Sayyidunā Ḥassān b. Thābit رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.^[6]

The first among the Muhājirīn laid to rest in Jannat al-BaqīꜤ was Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. MaẓꜤūn, and Sayyidunā AsꜤad b. Zurārah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا was the first from the Anṣār.^[7] According to one opinion, the blessed head of Sayyidunā Imam Hussain رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ is buried next to Lady Fāṭimah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهَا in Jannat al BaqīꜤ.^[8] The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم visited this cemetery often and he prayed for the deceased like so: “O Allah, forgive the inhabitants of BaqīꜤ al-Gharqad.”^[9] The first people to be raised on the Day of Judgement, after the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Sayyidunā Abū Bakr and Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا, will be the people laid to rest in Jannat al-BaqīꜤ.^[10]

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said 70,000 people will be raised from Jannat al-BaqīꜤ and admitted into Paradise without accountability.^[11] The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also said, “I will intercede for whoever is laid to rest here [in Jannat al-BaqīꜤ].” Or the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “I will testify in favour for the people laid to rest here.”^[12] The scholars say regarding the people visiting Medina:

It is a sunnah to visit Jannat al-BaqīꜤ. After visiting the grave of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, go to Jannat al Baqi, especially on Fridays.^[13]

Mount Uḥud

Mount Uḥud is a heavenly mountain located in northern Medina and it is 3533 ft high. The Battle of Uḥud took place at the base of this mountain. Mount Uḥud is used as an example in many Aḥādīth when good deeds and sins are explained. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم expressed his love for the mountain, saying:

احد يحبنا و نحبه جبل من جبال الجنة

Uḥud is a heavenly mountain that loves us, and we love it.^[14]

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ascended Uḥud with Abū Bakr ꜤUmar and ꜤUthmān رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم, when the mountain shook beneath them. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

اثبت أحد فإنما عليك نبي وصديق وشهيدان

O Uḥud! Be firm, for there is a Prophet, a veracious one and two martyrs upon you.^[15]

Resting places of the Martyrs of Uḥud

The Battle of Uḥud occurred in 3 AH and 70 Muslims were martyred. 46 years later, some of the graves were opened when a stream was dug. The people of Medina and others saw the shrouds of the martyrs were intact, their bodies were fresh and their hands were placed on their wounds. When their hands were lifted, fresh blood flowed from the wounds. It was as if they were in a deep and peaceful sleep.^[16]

At the start of every year, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم visited the graves of the martyrs of Uḥud and said:

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکُمْ بِمَاصَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَی الدَّارِ

Peace be upon you. How great is the final abode you have been given in return for your patience!^[17]

 Sayyidunā Shaykh al-Muḥaddith ꜤAbd al-Haqq al-Dīhlawī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes:

Whoever passes by the martyrs of Uḥud and greets them with salām, they send salām upon you until the Day of Judgement. The sounds of salām have been heard many times from the graves of the martyrs, and especially from the grave of Amīr Ḥamzah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.^[18]

The resting place of Sayyidunā Ḥamzah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

Among the resting places of the martyrs of Uḥud at the base of the mountain, is the blessed resting place of Sayyidunā Ḥamzah b. ꜤAbd al-Muṭṭalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, which holds a special station. Many devotees of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم visit this resting place with immense love and respect. He is the paternal uncle and foster brother of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. His bravery earned him the titles of lion of Allah Almighty, lion of the Messenger, the doer of good, remover of difficulties and leader of the martyrs. He was also martyred during the Battle of Uḥud.^[19] Whilst a stream was being dug in the plains of Uḥud, a shovel accidently hit his foot causing fresh blood to flow from the wound.^[20]

These were only some of the beautiful talking points about Medina, otherwise much more could be said about its countless beauties and grandeur. What can be said about the greatness of the city which Allah Almighty Himself describes? The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم informed us about the virtues of this blessed city which many believers long to visit. They shed tears of happiness upon arrival, but these turn into tears of grief when departing. The heart desires to touch and kiss the walls of this city, and its dust is applied to the eyes like kohl. The hearts of the people who have not visited Medina are restless, and it is the place where people yearn to live and die.

Medina is one of the most beloved places to the Creator and the created, and this is only because it is the city of the beloved Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.  In summary, it is as if Medina is the crown of both worlds.