Jannat al-Mu'alla (), also known as the "Cemetery of Ma'la" ( ) and Al-Ḥajūn (), is a historic cemetery located to the north of Masjid al-Haram, and near the Mosque of the Jinn in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
It is believed to be the burial place of several of the prophet Muhammad’s relatives and companions.
History
Pre-Islamic and early Islamic era The site of Jannat al-Mu'allā is believed to have been used as a burial ground in pre-Islamic times, and subsequently many of the Quraysh tribe and other notable families of Mecca used it as their cemetery. During the lifetime of Muhammad, several of his relatives were buried there prior to the Hijrah (622 CE).
Ottoman and later developments Over the centuries, several domed tombs, mausolea, and structures were built in the cemetery marking distinguished graves. Several historical travel-accounts such as by the 17th-century Ottoman traveller Evliya Çelebi described 75 domed-tombs in the cemetery including those marking the graves of the Muhammad’s uncle and grandfather.
Demolition and Saudi reform era In 1925–1926, following the consolidation of the Hejaz under the rule of Ibn Saud, many tomb structures in the region, including those at Jannat al-Mu'alla and at Al-Baqi, were removed. The actions formed part of a broader program of religious and urban reform promoted by the emerging Saudi state, which sought to align public spaces with interpretations of Islamic practice associated with the Wahabi movement. These reforms emphasized the avoidance of architectural forms or practices that might encourage excessive veneration of graves.
Some Shiites continue to mourn the day the House of Saud demolished shrines in al-Baqi, which has been named Yaum-e Gham (Day of Sorrow), and protest the Saudi government's demolition of these shrines.
Notable interments
Historical figures buried here include:
NameNotes Relatives and Companions of Muhammad Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib Uncle of Muhammad; father of Ali and Chief of Banu Hashim Abd Manaf Great-great-grandfather of Muhammad and Ali Abd al-Muttalib Grandfather of Muhammad and Ali Khadijah The wife of Muhammad and mother of Zainab, Fatimah, Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum of Banu Asad (tribe) Qasim ibn Muhammad The first born son of Muhammad and Khadijah Asma bint Abu Bakr A female companion of Muhammad, elder daughter of first caliph Abu Bakr, and wife of Zubayr. Abdallah ibn al-Zubayr A companion of Muhammad and a nephew of AishaNotable burials of scholars and mashaikh al-Mansur Second Abbasid Caliph and the founder of Baghdad Rahmatullah Kairanwi 19th-century Indian Sunni Muslim scholar and author of Izhar ul-Haqq Imdadullah Muhajir Makki Another 19th-century Indian Muslim scholar Abu Turab al-Zahiri 20th-century Muslim cleric Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki 20th-century Sunni Muslim cleric Mulla Ali Qari Herawi Sunni scholar of Tafseer Quran, Fiqh, Theology, Arabic Language Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad Sunni scholar of Islam prominent in Yemen, Africa, and Saudi ArabiaSheikh Ismail Mahamud CigaalSunni scholar of Islam prominent in Somalia and East Africa
See also Jannat al-Baqi' Bab Saghir Holiest sites in Sunni Islam Holiest sites in Shia Islam
References
External links