Badr Martyrs Cemetery: Difference between revisions

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These fourteen martyrs are revered in Islamic history for their bravery and dedication. Their sacrifice at the Battle of Badr is seen as a cornerstone of the early Islamic community's struggle and ultimate triumph. Each of these individuals played a crucial role in the battle, and their memory is cherished by Muslims around the world as exemplars of faith, courage, and steadfastness.
These fourteen martyrs are revered in Islamic history for their bravery and dedication. Their sacrifice at the Battle of Badr is seen as a cornerstone of the early Islamic community's struggle and ultimate triumph. Each of these individuals played a crucial role in the battle, and their memory is cherished by Muslims around the world as exemplars of faith, courage, and steadfastness.


==The city of Badr==
==The Modern Region of Badr==
Today, the region of Badr, also known as [[Badr Hunayn]], has transformed into a city located 153 kilometers from [[Medina]] and 310 kilometers from [[Mecca]]. Its population in the year 1425 AH/2004-5 was over 33,000 people, and considering the population of its suburbs, it exceeded 58,000 people.<ref>Zāhidī Muqaddam, ''Qazwi-yi badr, shuhadā wa mazārāt-i ān'', p. 17.</ref>
''Original article'': [[Badr]]
Today, the region of Badr, also known as [[Badr Hunayn]], has developed into a city. It is situated 153 kilometers from [[Medina]] and 310 kilometers from [[Mecca]]. As of the year 1425 AH (2004-2005 CE), Badr had a population exceeding 33,000 residents, and including its surrounding areas, the population was over 58,000.


==Historical reports about the Badr Cemetery==
This transformation from a historic battlefield into a thriving city underscores the continuing significance of Badr in both historical and contemporary contexts. The city serves as a living reminder of the pivotal events that took place there, and it remains an important site for visitors and pilgrims alike.<ref>Zāhidī Muqaddam, ''Qazwi-yi badr, shuhadā wa mazārāt-i ān'', p. 17.</ref>
One of the oldest known reports about the Badr Cemetery dates back to Waqidi (d. 207 AH/822-3).<ref>Zāhidī Muqaddam, ''Qazwi-yi badr, shuhadā wa mazārāt-i ān'', p. 110.</ref>
According to Waqidi's report, the burial places of the martyrs were at some distance from each other.<ref>Wāqidī, ''Al-Maghāzī'', vol. 1, p. 147.</ref>
In the fifth century, Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH/1065-6) visited this cemetery as a place of pilgrimage.<ref> Bayhaqī, ''Dalāʾil al-nubuwwa wa maʿrifat aḥwāl ṣāḥib al-sharīʿa'', vol. 3, p. 125.</ref>


In the sixth century, [[Ibn Jubayr]] observed the burial place of the martyrs of Badr in the year 578 AH. According to him, on that day, the battlefield of Badr had been transformed into a date palm grove, and the cemetery of the martyrs of Badr was located behind that date palm grove.<ref>Ibn Jubayr, ''Riḥla Ibn Jubayr'', p. 148.</ref>
==Historical Reports on the Badr Cemetery==
Approximately a century later, in the year 688 AH/1289-90, Abdari visited Badr and reported a large cemetery where the graves of the martyrs of Badr were located, west of the Arish Mosque.<ref>ʿAbdarī, ''Riḥla al- ʿAbdarī'', p. 346-347.</ref>
Among the earliest reports on the Badr Cemetery are those attributed to the historian al-Waqidi (d. 207 AH).<ref>Zāhidī Muqaddam, ''Qazwi-yi badr, shuhadā wa mazārāt-i ān'', p. 110.</ref>
Several centuries later, in the year 1110AH/1698-9 , [[Muhammad Taqi Sharifi Fasi]](d. 1170AH/1756-7) reported about the location of the graves of the martyrs of Badr, surrounded by a short wall. He also mentioned a sanctuary attached to the cemetery.<ref>Sharifi Fasi's travelogue, p. 354</ref> In 1179AH/1765-6, Warthilani reported on the cemetery and the surrounding wall.<ref>Warthīlānī,  ''Al-Riḥla al- Warthīlānīyya'', vol. 1, p. 419.</ref>
According to al-Waqidi's accounts, the graves of the martyrs were scattered across the site.<ref>Wāqidī, ''Al-Maghāzī'', vol. 1, p. 147.</ref>
Other reports do not provide significantly different information.<ref>Burckhardt, ''Tarḥāl fī al-jazīra al-ʿarabīyya'', vol. 2, p. 193-195; Hājib al-Dawla, ''Safarnāma Hāj ʿAlīkhān Iʿtimād al-salṭana'', p. 97.</ref>
In the 5th century AH, the historian Ibn Biyaqi (d. 458 AH) visited the cemetery and documented its condition. His accounts provide valuable insights into the site's historical significance and its status during his time. These early records contribute to our understanding of the Badr Cemetery's evolving historical and cultural context.<ref> Bayhaqī, ''Dalāʾil al-nubuwwa wa maʿrifat aḥwāl ṣāḥib al-sharīʿa'', vol. 3, p. 125.</ref>


==The current status of Badr Martyrs Cemetery==
In the 6th century AH, the traveler and historian Ibn Jubayr (d. 578 AH) visited the site where the martyrs of Badr were buried. He observed that the battlefield of Badr had, by that time, been transformed into a lush palm grove, with the cemetery of the Badr martyrs situated behind this grove.<ref>Ibn Jubayr,  ''Riḥla Ibn Jubayr'', p. 148.</ref>
Mohammad Ali Najafi, who visited the city of Badr between 1354-1357 SH (1975-1979), writes about the graves of the martyrs of Badr: 'During a period of pilgrimage and research in this area, I observed that the graves of the martyrs are situated among the general cemetery of Badr. Similar to all cemeteries in [[Saudi Arabia]], they are flat, nameless, and unmarked. Only a short wall covered with white cement, fenced with iron rods, separates these graves from other tombs, giving them distinction.<ref>Najafī, ''Madīna shināsī'', vol. 2, p. 172.</ref>
Approximately a century later, in 688 AH, the historian and traveler [[Abdari]] visited Badr and reported on a large cemetery located to the west of the [[Arish Mosque]]. This cemetery was identified as the resting place of the [[Badr martyrs]], reflecting its continued significance and the growth of the site over the intervening years.<ref>ʿAbdarī,  ''Riḥla al- ʿAbdarī'', p. 346-347.</ref>
The images available today of the cemetery of the martyrs of Badr depict a large graveyard surrounded by a white wall, with the graves marked by specific stones.<ref>[https://foursquare.com/v/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%B1/4f312e40e4b0a160e75cb203/photos Images of Badr Martyrs graveyard]</ref>
Several centuries later, in 1110 AH, the scholar [[Muhammad Tayeb Sharafi al-Fasi]] (d. 1170 AH) documented his observations of the Badr Cemetery. He described the site as being enclosed by a low wall and noted the presence of a shrine associated with the martyrs of Badr (as detailed in his travelogue, "Safarnameh Sharafi Fasi," p. 354).
 
In 1179 AH, the historian and traveler [[Warthalani]] also reported on the cemetery, describing the wall that surrounded the site. His observations corroborate the earlier descriptions, indicating that the cemetery remained a significant and well-maintained site over time.<ref>Warthīlānī,  ''Al-Riḥla al- Warthīlānīyya'', vol. 1, p. 419.</ref>
Overall, the historical reports from these and other sources offer a consistent picture of the Badr Cemetery's preservation and significance. They reflect the site's continued importance as a place of reverence and historical memory, with little variation in the details provided across different periods. These accounts collectively underscore the enduring legacy of the Badr martyrs and the efforts made to honor their memory through the centuries..<ref>Burckhardt, ''Tarḥāl fī al-jazīra al-ʿarabīyya'', vol. 2, p. 193-195; Hājib al-Dawla, ''Safarnāma Hāj ʿAlīkhān Iʿtimād al-salṭana'', p. 97.</ref>
 
==The Badr Martyrs' Cemetery Today==
During a visit to Badr from 1975 to 1978 CE, researcher Muhammad Ali Najafi provided an assessment of the current condition of the Badr Martyrs' Cemetery. He observed that the graves of the martyrs were located within a larger, general public cemetery in Badr. The graves themselves were flat and unmarked, consistent with the typical style of other cemeteries in Saudi Arabia.
 
Najafi noted that the martyrs' graves were enclosed by a low wall made of white cement, surrounded by iron railings. This modest enclosure served to delineate the martyrs' graves from the rest of the cemetery, offering a degree of distinction within the broader cemetery context. However, the individual graves remained unadorned and lacked specific markers or inscriptions, reflecting a simple yet respectful approach to their commemoration.
Current images of the Badr Martyrs' Cemetery depict a large cemetery enclosed by a white wall. Within this area, the graves are marked with stones, providing clear delineation. This modern appearance highlights the cemetery's continued significance and the efforts made to maintain its respectful and orderly presentation.
<ref>Najafī, ''Madīna shināsī'', vol. 2, p. 172.</ref>
<ref>[https://foursquare.com/v/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%B1/4f312e40e4b0a160e75cb203/photos Images of Badr Martyrs graveyard]</ref>
==Gallary==
==Gallary==
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