Jannat al-Mu'alla
Cemetery in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jannat al-Mu'alla (Arabic: جَنَّة ٱلْمُعَلَّاة, romanized: Jannah al-Muʿallāh, lit. 'The Most Exalted Paradise'), also known as the "Cemetery of Ma'la"[1] (Arabic: مَقْبَرَة ٱلْمَعْلَاة Maqbarah al-Maʿlāh) and Al-Ḥajūn (Arabic: ٱلْحَجُوْن), is a historic cemetery located to the north of Masjid al-Haram, and near the Mosque of the Jinn in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
| Jannat al-Mu'allah | |
|---|---|
جَنَّة ٱلْمُعَلَّاة | |
 Jannat al-Mu'alla cemetery | |
 Interactive map of Jannat al-Mu'allah | |
| Details | |
| Location | Makkah, Hejaz |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Coordinates | 21°26′13″N 39°49′45″E |
| Type | Muslim |
| No. of interments | includes relatives of Muhammad |
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).[2][3]
Ottoman and later developments
Over the centuries, several domed tombs, mausolea, and structures were built in the cemetery marking distinguished graves.[4] 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.[5][6]
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.[3][7] 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.[8]
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.[9][10]
Notable interments
Historical figures buried here include:
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| 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 son of Muhammad and Khadijah |
| Asma bint Abu Bakr | A companion of Muhammad and mother of Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr |
| Abdullah ibn Zubair | A companion of Muhammad and a nephew of Aisha |
| Notable 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[11] |
| Imdadullah Muhajir Makki | Another 19th-century Indian Muslim scholar[12] |
| 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 Arabia |
| Sheikh Ismail Mahamud Cigaal | Sunni Scholar of Islam prominent in Somalia and East Africa |
