Al-Baqi

Jannat al-Baqi'

The cemetery in 2008
Details
Established	C.E. 622
Location	Medina
Country	Present-day Saudi Arabia
Type	Muslim
Owned by	State

Jannat al-Baqi‘ (Arabic: جنة البقيع‎, translit. Jannat al-Baqī‘, lit. 'Garden of Baqi'‎) is a cemetery in Medina, present-day Saudi Arabia, located to the southeast of the Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque). The mosque is built where the Islamic prophet Muhammad used to live, and is currently buried. It is also known as Baqi al-Gharqad, which means "Baqi of the Boxthorn".

The cemetery holds much significance. It contains many of Muhammad's relatives and companions. Many traditions relate Muhammad issuing a prayer every time he passed it. A Jewish graveyard was once located behind Jannat al-Baqi. The Umayyad rulers took down the wall of the Jewish cemetery and widened the Muslim graveyard to enclose the tomb of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan within it.

When Muhammad arrived at Medina from Mecca in September 622, al-Baqi was a land covered with Lycium shawii boxthorn trees. According to historical records, after the arrival of Muhammad, the houses of Medina developed near Baqi, which was therefore considered as the public tomb. Also Baqi introduced as somewhere which its east side is Nakhl and its west side there are houses. In fact before demolition Baqi was located behind Medina’s houses.

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 among the Ansar.