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The tragedy of Al-Baqi
By: SYED ALI AZHAR GILLANI
Jannat al-Baqi, or the Cemetery of Baqi, is the famous burial place of great personalities without whom the history of Islam is incomplete. In fact, they wrote the history of Islam with their deeds and achievements.
The Prophet (SAW)'s companion Usman bin Mazoon was the first companion to be buried there on instructions by the Prophet (SAW). The Prophet's son, Ibrahim who died in infancy (and was very dear to the Prophet) was also buried there.
Then the Prophet's beloved daughter Hazrat Zahra (SA), his grandson Hazrat Imam Hasan (AS) were also laid to rest in al-Baqi. Al-Baqi has the graves of three more stars of the Prophet's family, his grandsons Hazrat Ali ibn Imam Husain (AS), Hazrat Muhammad Baqir ibn Ali ibn Imam Hussain (AS), and Hazrat Jafar Sadiq ibn Muhammad Baqir ibn Ali ibn Imam Hussain (AS).
These are the Aal-e-Muhammad (descendants of Muhamamd) on whom you shower Salwat and Durood daily in your prayers.... The Prophet's aunt, the mother of Imam Ali Hazrat Fatima binte Asad (AS), also rests here. The grave of the Prophet Muhammad's uncle Hazrat Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib (AS) also houses here....
However, on 8th Shawwal, Wednesday, in the year 1345 AH (April 21, 1925) mausoleums in Jannat al-Baqi (Madina) were demolished by King Ibn Saud. In the same year (1925), he also demolished the tombs of holy personages at Jannat al-Mualla (Makkah) where the Holy Prophet (s)'s mother Hazrat Aminah (SA), his wife Hazrat Khadija-tul-Kubra (SA), grandfather Hazrat Abdul Muttalib (AS), his uncle Hazrat Abu Talib (AS) and other ancestors are buried.
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