پژوهشنامه حج و زیارت
سال هفتم شماره 1 (پیاپی 16، بهار 1401)

This research jurisprudentially reviews, analyzes, and criticizes the Wahhabism doctrines on the destruction of Baqī’s tombs and the necessity of their reconstruction from the standpoint of Islamic religions. The findings of this library-based research, which are presented by software and based on evidence analysis, show that the narrations, that prohibit visiting and pilgrimage to graves as shrines, are the most important documents of Wahhabism. Whahabis further argue that tomb construction is heresy that leads people to polytheism; therefore, the graves and shrines in Baqī should be destroyed based on the concept of sadd al-dh̲arāʾiʿ. Although Wahhabi scholars’ arguments are deemed not defensible and do not prove their claim. On the other hand, according to all Islamic religions, regarding the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) with affection is compulsory for all Muslims, in accordance with the command of God Almighty in the Qur’an with regards to express affection towards close relatives (dhawi l-qurbā). As evidenced by Muslims’ manners, it is possible to regard the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) with affection after their death by continuing to commemorate them, building shrines on their holy graves, and following them. Furthermore, the construction of shrines on their holy tombs is an example of bowing rituals, whereas the destruction of their tombs and shrines is a clear example of desecration, humiliating their positions among Muslims and diminishing divine rites; and their prohibition is unequivocal.

Currently, the prohibition of women’s presence in Baqī is supported by some jurisprudential principles, which include other cemeteries from the two holy shrines to other areas. Although the legitimacy of women’s presence and pilgrimage in Baqī and the views of Sunni jurisprudential religions are reflected in numerous articles- including the author’s article- in scientific circles; so far, no extensive and integrated study has been done according to the rijali and jurisprudential principles of the four Sunni religions to focus on document critique and the proof of the jurisprudential documents about prohibiting women’s presence in Baqī,  which are presented and distributed as pamphlets around Baqī and accordingly, women are being prohibited even from approaching the walls of Baqī. Therefore, the analysis of the jurisprudential principles of prohibiting women’s presence in Baqī is a subject that needs to be explored to get an appropriate view. The analysis of each of these documents in terms of authenticity and validity indicates the lack of authenticity of the cited narrations, according to the words of the Sunni scholars of the rijali science. Assuming authenticity for them, by reading the words of famous commentators of hadith in the four Sunni religions, one can find out that one group refers to the abrogation of these hadiths and another group considers the emergence of documented narratives on women’s presence and pilgrimage accompanied by forbidden (ḥarām) implications, which may be the case in other recommended acts such as the recommended Hajj (Hajj-I mustaḥabbi). Based on library data, this research was done with the aim of reviewing and criticizing the proof and evidence of the documents about preventing women’s presence in Baqī and providing solutions for this problem. Achieving this goal is possible in light of describing and analyzing the narrative teachings of Sunni sources with regard to their basics in obtaining and understanding the hadiths of the Prophet (S). This research concludes that the principles of prohibiting the presence of women in Baqī are distorted and the attribution of those principles to the tradition of the Prophet (S) is invalid and does not imply the mentioned view.

Religious tourism is based on a set of legal rules and ideas. Despite its importance, religious tourism is less discussed and does not have a disciplined collection. Therefore, the statement of the problem and the necessity of doing this research can be considered in the analysis and induction of the rights of the elderly as pilgrims to Baqī, especially since the elderly sometimes form a large number of pilgrims to Baqī. In this article, aging is considered as a vulnerable situation in pilgrimage process, rather than being thought as a personal problem or a biological disorder, which requires the inclusion of special rights for the elderly and assigning tasks to the states dispatching pilgrims, the Saudi government, and pilgrims. This descriptive-analytical article concludes that the elderly have the right to pilgrimage based on arguments such as expediency and dignity, as well as the principles of equality and non-discrimination. Also, in this legal system, the right to health, positive discrimination, facilitating access, relaxation, and privacy are the issues that the host government of the elderly pilgrims (Saudi Arabia) should take care of. In addition, the governments that dispatch the elderly pilgrims should consider issues such as priority in allocating resources.

In the absence of written documents and works about the time and process of the emergence of many holy places and shrines, people’s beliefs about them have changed overtime and sometimes have even led to a shift in their application or nature. An example of such a shrine is Bayt al-Aḥzān in the Baqī Cemetery in Medina. In this article, the evolution of people’s beliefs about the shrine of Bayt al-Aḥzān, as a case study, was discussed in a descriptive-analytical method based on historical and geographical sources from the 3rd to the 6th centuries AH. The results show that Bayt al-Aḥzān, known as the “Mosque of Fāṭimah” in the early centuries of Islam, was probably originally the burial place of Hazrat Fāṭimah bint Asad. But in later periods, with the attribution of the mosque to Fāṭimah al-Zahrā (as), other beliefs were formed about it. Finally, in the second half of the 6th century, when Medina became a city populated by Shiites, the current common name and beliefs about it were established.

Baqī was of special importance as a historical cemetery for Muslims. This cemetery found a special place from the very beginning of the Prophet’s migration to Medina as some of the great Companions were buried therein. The emphasis and practice of the Prophet (S) in visiting the graves of Baqī, which was followed by other infallibles (as), caused Muslims to respect and pilgrim those buried in Baqī throughout the Islamic centuries. This descriptive-analytical article aims to respond to the question: What were the rituals of pilgrimage to Baqī in the traditions and manners of the Infallibles (as), from the Prophet (S) to Imam Ridha (as)? The reason for choosing this period of time was the presence of the Imams (as) in Medina and the reflection of their manners and traditions regarding the pilgrimage to Baqī in accordance with sources. The article concludes that pilgrimage to Baqī was considered by the Messenger of God (S) and other Infallibles (as) since the burial of the first Companions therein. In addition to mentioning the virtue of pilgrimage to Baqī, they also took practical actions to honor those buried there.

The pilgrimage to Baqīʿ Cemetery and the burial of Muslims there are known subjects. But we know less about the attention of the Sufi orders (ṭuruq) to the pilgrimage to Baqīʿ and the burial of the Sufis there. This descriptive-analytical and library-based study of the historical sources and Muslims’ travelogues shows that the Sufi sheikhs and their followers pay special attention to attending Baqīʿ and visiting the tombs to obtain spiritual blessings from the Imams (as) buried there. While attending Baqīʿ, the Sufis mention the Imams (as), buried in Baqīʿ, with titles such as “The Sources of the Truth of Sufism” and “The Great Mystics of Time”; and holding a circle of remembrance (dhikr) near their shrines, they experience mystical ecstasy. The tomb of Ibrahim (the Holy Prophet’s son (PBUH), the tombs of the Ahl al-Bayt (as), and the tomb of ʿUthmān (the third caliph) are some of the main places of the burial of the Sufis in Baqīʿ, and the places for pilgrimage and obtaining blessings by the Sufis and other people. The Sufis, buried in Baqīʿ, were affiliated with the Naqshbandi, Qadiriyyah, Chishti, Shadhili, Darqawiyyah, Alawite and Samaniyyah orders (ṭuruq). Some of these Sufis were from Ḥijāz and others went from different Islamic lands — such as Iran, the Levant, Iraq, and the Islamic Maghreb — to Medina where they passed away and were buried in Baqīʿ.

This article aims to provide an explanation of the role of Baqī in constructing a common heritage on place and identity from an anthropological perspective. According to this explanation, Baqī is defined as a socially and culturally significant place, where the discourse and politics of religious places are defined, Muslims’ identities are formed, and Muslims regulate their understanding of Islam through the formation and alternation of these places. The main point of this article is the analysis of a place based on the reading of Islam about places. The connection with a place is sometimes clarified through the behaviors and customs of Muslims. Keeping this in mind, one should take note that Wahhabis have always defended their actions regarding the demolition and reconstruction of places. The reconstruction of Baqī as a popular Shiite slogan (that can be called as the remodeling of Baqī) is in fact a call to restore Baqī to its former state during the Ottoman rule as a Sunni empire. This slogan expresses the similarities between the approaches of the Shiites and Sunnis to religious places. It is also a reflection of the relationship between a place and a religious identity. Presenting this view about the destruction of Baqī and the socio-cultural necessity of its reconstruction, from the anthropological and sociological viewpoints, is one of the novelties of this article.