Al-Baqi is a cemetery in Medina, Saudi Arabia, located to the southeast of the Masjid-al-Nabwi.
Literally “Al-Baqi” means a tree garden. It is also known as “Jannat al-Baqi” due to its sanctity, since in it are buried many of our Prophet’s(P.B.U.H.) relatives and companions.
Over the centuries, Al-Baqi remained a sacred site with renovations being carried out as and when needed till the Wahabis rose to power in the early nineteenth century. The latter desecrated the tombs and demonstrated disrespect to the martyrs and the companions of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) buried there. Muslims who disagreed with them were branded as “infidels” and were subsequently killed.
On 8th Shawaal, 1345 Hijra (August 1925) the then Saudi rulers bulldozed the holy places in Jannatul Baqee and Jannatul Mualla in Makkah Muazzama and Madina Munawwarah (the centres of the Islamic World) where holy graves of Holy Prophet’s elders, Aal-e-Athaar (A.S.), Azwaaj-e-Rasool (SAW), Sahaba Kubaar (R.A.) and Tabaeen (R.A.) were situated.
In 1925 AD Jannat al-Mu’alla, the sacred cemetery at Makkah was destroyed alongwith the house where the Holy Prophet (s) was born. Since then, this day is a day of mourning for all Muslims.
Is it not strange that the Wahhabis find it offensive to have the tombs, shrines and other places of importance preserved, while the remains of their Saudi kings are being guarded at the expense of millions of dollars?
Protest from Indian Muslims
In 1926, protest gatherings were held by shocked Muslims all over the world. Resolutions were passed and a statement outlining the crimes perpetrated by Wahhabis was issued and included the following:
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The destruction and desecration of the holy places i.e. the birth place of the Holy Prophet [s], the graves of Banu Hashim in Makkah and in Jannat al-Baqi (Madinah), the refusal of the Wahhabis to allow Muslims to recite Ziyarah or Surah al-Fatiha at those graves.
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The destruction of the places of worship i.e. Masjid Hamza, Masjid Abu Rasheed, in addition to the tombs of Imams and Sahaba (Prophet’s companions).
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Interference in the performance of Hajj rituals.
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Forcing the Muslims to follow the Wahhabis innovations and to abandon their own ways according to the guidance of the Imams they follow.
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The massacre of sayyids in Taif, Madina, Ahsa, and Qatif.
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The demolition of the grave of the Imams at al-Baqi which deeply offended and grieved all Shias.
Protest from other countries
Similar protests were lodged by Muslims in Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Indonesia, and Turkey. All of them condemn the Saudi Wahhabis for their barbaric acts. Some scholars wrote tracts and books to tell the world the fact that what was happening in Hijaz was actually a conspiracy plotted by the Jews against Islam, under the guise of Tawheed. The idea was to eradicate the Islamic legacy and heritage and to systematically remove all its vestiges so that in the days to come, Muslims will have no affiliation with their religious history.
A partial list of the demolished graves and shrines
Al-Mualla graveyard in Makkah which includes the grave of Sayyida Khadija bint Khuwailid (s.a), wife of the Prophet (s), the grave of Amina bint Wahab, mother of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), the grave of Abu Talib, father of Imam Ali (a), and the grave of Abdul Muttalib, grandfather of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
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The grave of Bibi Hawa in Jeddah.
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The grave of the father of the Prophet (s.a.w.w.) in Madina.
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The house of sorrows (bayt al-Ahzan) of Sayeda Fatima (a.s.) in Madina.
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The Salman al-Farsi mosque in Madina.
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The Raj’at ash-Shams mosque in Madina.
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The house of the Prophet (s.a.w.w.) in Madina, where he lived after migrating from Makkah.
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The house of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (a.s.) in Madina.
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The complex (mahhalla) of Banu Hashim in Madina.
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The house of Imam Ali (a.s.) where Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Hussain (a.s.) were born.
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The house of Hazrat Hamza and the graves of the martyrs of Uhud (a.s.)
All Muslims term it their Imani obligation to observe “Youm-e-Inhidaam e Jannat ul Baqee” on 8th Shawwal every year so as to attract the attention of so-called champions of human rights, self-styled Khademain Harmain Sharifain Aal-e-Saud, Muslim heads of State, representative body of the Islamic World OIC, Arab League, claimants of respecting the rights of the world nations United Nations. They strongly demand that restoration of the honour of Jannatul Baqee and Jannatul Mualla were a prerequisite so as to achieve success in getting independence for the oppressed nations, solution of Kashmir and Palestine issues in the light of United Nations Resolutions, reconstruction of Babri Masjid and other mosques, providing protection and restoration of honour and respect to the place of worship belonging to all minorities.
Making it clear that it is not an issue belonging only to Maktab-e-Jafariya(A.S.) rather that of the whole world of humanity in general, and the whole Islamic World in particular.
The Chief of Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqah Jafariya Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi has called upon the Muslim Ummah to ensure early reconstruction of the holy shrines if it desires to restore its supremacy in the world and root out problems and difficulties faced by it as it is the only way to annex Al-Quds Al-Sharif and get independence of Palestine and Azad Kashmir.For this purpose,Muslims should hold protest on 8th Shawwal to condemn the demolition of Janaat-ul-Baqee.
Destruction of sacred sites in Hijaz by the Saudi Wahhabis continues even today.According to some scholars what is happening in Hijaz is actually a conspiracy plotted by the Jews against Islam, under the guise of Tawheed. The idea is to eradicate the Islamic legacy and heritage and to systematically remove all its vestiges so that in the days to come, Muslims will have no affiliation with their religious history.
Source & reference: www.al-islam.org
www.shiitenews.com
www.tnfj.org.pk
