Jannat al-Mu’alla Cemetery, located approximately 2 km north of Harem al-Shareef in Mecca, has witnessed burials from pre-Islamic times to the present day. Adjacent to the Mosque of Jinn, it was historically known as “Hajun” during the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods. The road ramp leading westward from Jannat al-Mu’alla, dividing the cemetery, is referred to as “Seniyyet al-Hajun.” Over time, the upper region of Mecca, where the cemetery is situated, earned the name “Ma’lât,” and the cemetery itself became known as “Makberet al-Ma’lât.”
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once gazed upon the Mecca Cemetery, expressing, “What a beautiful cemetery this is.” Within Jannat al-Mu’alla rest the blessed graves of esteemed individuals, including the Mother of the Believers, Hazrat Khadijah al-Kubra (RA), companions of the Prophet, tabi’in (the generation following the companions), and other righteous figures.
Noteworthy companions such as Abdullah Ibn Zubayr, Esma (the eldest daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr), Abdurrahman (son of Hazrat Abu Bakr), Abdullah Ibn Omar, and Osman bin Talha (RA) find their final resting places here. Prophet Muhammad’s sons Qasim and Abdullah are also laid to rest within this sacred ground.
The grave of Hazrat Khadijah (RA), Prophet Muhammad’s first wife, holds special significance. Prophet Muhammad himself lowered her grave after she passed away approximately three years before the Hijrah. Hazrat Khadijah was a devoted supporter of Prophet Muhammad, both financially and morally, being the first to believe in his prophethood. Six of the seven children of Prophet Muhammad were born to him from Hazrat Khadijah. The tomb is considered spiritually significant, believed to hold blessings for any woman who, facing helplessness, seeks assistance while invoking Hazrat Khadijah’s name.
In 950 AH (1543-1544), during Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent’s reign, a high-domed mausoleum was constructed over Hazrat Khadijah’s grave. Initially, there were 75 domed tombs at Jannat al-Mu’alla, documented by the Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi. However, in 1926, all domed tombs were demolished, and gravestones were removed. Presently, Jannat al-Mu’alla stands as Mecca’s cemetery without tombs or gravestones. The removed gravestones are exhibited in a museum in Riyadh, documented in a 2004 Ministry of Education and Training book featuring text and images of 591 gravestones from Jannat al-Mu’alla.