Hasnain Walji (Dallas, USA)
“Kis munh se ye kahoun ke miti kabre Sayyada todi gayi Mazaare Hasan wa museebata Zainul Abideen, Baqar-o-Jafar ki kabr ka hai hai nishaan bi koyi baqi nahi raha”
It was reported by Sheikh Mufeed in his book Al-Amali that Abduallah ibn Abbas said: When Allah’s Messenger was on his deathbed, he cried until tears overtook his beard. So he was asked: What makes you cry, Messenger of Allah?. The Prophet answered: I am crying for my progeny, for the crimes that will be committed against them by the evil doers of my nation after my death. It is as if I (can see) my daughter being oppressed and crying: – O Father! – But no one will come to help her among my Ummah.
Islamic history testifies the fact that the Lady of Light Fatima (SA) spent her life in struggle, resisting difficulties and this continued even after her death. 8th shawwal (Yaum-e-gham) is a sad day for all the Shias as this is the day the day of demolition of Jannatul Baqi – the burial place of Fatima (SA).
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 relatives and companions. The first companion buried in al-Baqi was Uthman b. Madhoon who died on the 3rd of Sha’ban in the 3rd year of Hijrah. The Prophet (s) ordered certain trees to be felled, and in its midst, he buried his dear companion.
Nearly seven thousand companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) are buried there, not to mention our Imams. Imam Hasan b. Ali (AS), Imam Ali b. al-Husayn (AS), Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS), and Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (AS) who are all buried there.
Thus, over the centuries, al-Baqi remained a sacred site with renovations being carried out as and when needed till the Wahhabis rose to power in the early nineteenth century. They desecrated the tombs and demonstrated disrespect to the martyrs and the companions of the Prophet (s) buried there.
The Wahhabis believe that visiting the graves and the shrines of the Prophets, the Imams, is a form of idolatry. From 1205 AH to 1217 AH, the Wahhabis made several attempts to control Hijaz but failed. Finally in 1218 AH, they entered Makkah and destroyed all sacred places.
In 1221, the Wahhabis entered Madina to desecrate al-Baqi as well as every mosque they came across. An attempt was even made to demolish the Prophet’s tomb, but due to extreme pressure, the idea was abandoned. Al-Baqi was razed to the ground, with no sign of any grave or tomb whatsoever.
In 1818 AD, Caliph Abdul Majid and his successors, Abdul Hamid and Mohammed, carried out the reconstruction of all sacred places, restoring the Islamic heritage at all important sites.
In 1924 AD Wahhabis entered Hijaz for a second time and carried out another merciless plunder and massacre. 1925 Madina surrendered to the Wahhabi onslaught. All Islamic heritage were destroyed. The only shrine that remained intact was that of the Holy Prophet (s). Tombs of Hazrat Hamza and other martyrs were demolished at Uhud. 1925 AD
Jannat al-Mu’alla, the sacred cemetery at Makkah was alos destroyed.
According to Dr Angawi a Saudi Architect, and an expert on Islamic architecture, – as few as 20 structures are left that date back to the lifetime of the Prophet 1,400 years ago and those that remain could be bulldozed at any time. ” This is the end of history in Mecca and Medina and the end of their future,” says Dr Angawi.
It is the height of hypocrisy that 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.
What is all the more disturbing is that Muslim nations around the world continue to remain silent at the desecration of our Holy sites.
