Jannatul-Baqi‘ and the First Person to be Buried Therein — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 2
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Jannatul-Baqi‘ and the First Person to be Buried Therein.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: VII – Commencement of War with the Tribes of Najd and the Jews, the Marriage of Hadrat Fatimah and Hafsah, and a Few Miscellaneous Incidents
Pages: Book pp. 291–292 (PDF pp. 315–316)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Ghazwah of Banu Qainuqa‘ – Late 2 A.H.] | Next: [Ghazwah of Dhi ‘Amr – Muharram or Safar 3 A.H.] »
Historical Account
To the end of this year, the Holy Prophetsa proposed the creation of a graveyard in Madīnah for his Companions which was referred to as Jannatul- Baqī‘. After its creation, the Companions were generally buried in this very graveyard. The first Companion to be buried in this graveyard was ‘Uthmān bin Maẓ‘ūnra. ‘Uthmānra was from among the most pioneer Muslims, and was extremely righteous and pious. He was a man of ascetic disposition. On one occasion, after becoming a Muslim, he submitted to the Holy Prophetsa, “If the Holy Prophetsa kindly grants permission, it is my desire to abandon the world completely and separate myself from my wife and children, so that I may devote my life wholly to the worship of Allāh.” However, the Holy Prophetsa did not permit him to do so. As a matter of fact, even with respect to such people who would not abandon the world completely, but would fast and offer Ṣalāt so often that it would affect the rights of their dependents, the Holy Prophetsa would say:
[Al-Iṣābah Fī Tamīziṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By Aḥmad bin ‘Alī bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 4, p. 382, ‘Uthmānubnu Maẓ‘ūn, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2005)]
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Mā Yukrahu Minat-Tabattuli Wal-Khiṣā’i, Ḥadīth No. 5073]
“You should offer the right owed to God, you should offer the rights owed to your wives and children, you should offer the right owed to guests, and you should offer the right owed to your own soul. For all of these rights have been appointed by God, and the fulfillment of them is also a form of worship.”
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābuṣ-Ṣaum, Bābu Haqqil-Jismi Fiṣ-Ṣaum, Ḥadīth No. 1975]
Therefore, the Holy Prophetsa did not permit ‘Uthmān bin Maẓ‘ūnra to abandon the world, and whilst prohibiting celibacy and asceticism in Islām, the Holy
Prophetsa established a middle course for his community, which is set between the two extremes. The Holy Prophetsa was deeply saddened upon the demise of ‘Uthmān bin Maẓ‘ūnra. There is a narration that after his demise, the Holy Prophetsa kissed his forehead and at the time there were tears in the eyes of the Holy Prophetsa. After his burial, the Holy Prophetsa fixed a stone at the head of his grave to serve as a marking, and then, every so often, he would visit the Jannatul-Baqī‘ and pray for him. ‘Uthmānra was the first Muhājir to pass away in Madīnah.
[Al-Iṣābah Fī Tamīziṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By Aḥmad bin ‘Alī bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 4, p. 382, ‘Uthmānubnu Maẓ‘ūn, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2005)]
[Usdul-Ghābah Fī Ma‘rifatiṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By ‘Izzuddīn Ibnul-Athīr Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad, Volume 3, p. 495, ‘Uthmānubnu Maẓ‘ūn, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon (2003)]
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Section: VII – Commencement of War with the Tribes of Najd and the Jews, the Marriage of Hadrat Fatimah and Hafsah, and a Few Miscellaneous Incidents | Navigation: « Previous: [Ghazwah of Banu Qainuqa‘ – Late 2 A.H.] | Next: [Ghazwah of Dhi ‘Amr – Muharram or Safar 3 A.H.] »