In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and upon all his family and companions.
Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return!
Dear brothers and sisters! The remains of our late father, a prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, were laid to rest in the city of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), Madinah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.
Late Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, who died on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was buried at the Baqi’ah cemetery.
Earlier, a prayer was held for the deceased at the Noble Prophet’s Mosque after the Asr prayer.
His funeral prayer was attended by thousands of people, including His Highness, the Emir of Kano, Khalifah Dr. Muhammad Sanusi II, the governors of Kano and Jigawa, and many others who offered prayers for the repose of his soul.
Respected brothers and sisters! Clear, authentic, and decisive narrations that establish the virtue of wanting to die or being buried in Madinah are many.
But to understand the significance of dying and being buried in Madinah, one must understand the city’s status. Although the virtues of Madinah cannot be done justice in such a short space, it would do us well to recount some of its distinctions to give us a sense of its importance.
Madinah is the city (formerly known as Yathrib) that is said to have been “conquered by the Qur’an”, as most of its inhabitants accepted the message of Islam through the beauty and truth of the Qur’an before the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) even set foot there. As a safe haven for the Muslims from persecution in Makkah, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and the Makkan believers were ordered to migrate to Madinah to preserve their religion. The migration (Hijrah) to Madinah was so significant as a turning point in the survival of the nascent Muslim community, that the Islamic dating system begins in that year rather than the year in which revelation began or when Makkah was re-opened to the Muslims.
Madinah is where the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) built his own Mosque, in which one prayer is worth one thousand times more than a prayer in other than it, except for the Noble Sanctuary in Makkah and the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Imam Ghazali said that this implies the multiplying of rewards for any good deed, not just prayer, in all the Sanctuary that is Madinah, not just the Mosque. [See Ihya’]
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Indeed, I make inviolable and sacred [the land] which is between the two lava plains [on either end of] of Madinah…” and he said [regarding those people who leave the city to live elsewhere], “Madinah was better for them if they only knew; no one leaves it [Madinah] desiring some other place except that Allah replaces in it someone better than them, and no one bears the hardships and strain [of living there], except that I would be an intercessor, or a witness, for them on the Day of Judgment.” [Muslim]
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) prayed for Madinah to be blessed in every way, as well as for his new home to be more beloved to him than Makkah when he said:
“Oh Allah, make Madinah beloved to us, like our love for Makkah or even stronger, and make [Madinah] healthy, and bless us in its weights and measures [for trade and food], and transfer away its fever and send it into al-Juhfah.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Also, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Oh Allah, put in Madinah double what you have put in Makkah in terms of blessings and increase.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
And Jannatul Baqi’, meaning “Garden of Heaven” (Arabic: جنة البقيع), is the main cemetery of Madinah. Buried there are many members of the Prophet’s close family, around ten thousand of his companions (Sahabah), and many prominent, pious scholars and personalities.
Before Islam, the residents of Yathrib used to bury their dead in various places around Madinah. After the 5th year of Hijrah, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) buried the first companions in al-Baqi’ah: Uthman Ibn Maz’un (may Allah be pleased with him). The area, which was known for its many boxthorn trees, was cleared and thereafter the area became the graveyard of Madinah.
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) would often rise in the last part of the night, and slip out in the darkness, leaving his wife and home, to visit the people of al-Baqi’ah and make supplication specifically for them.
Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that whenever it was her turn for Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) to spend the night with her, he would go out towards the end of the night to al-Baqi’ah and say:
“Peace be upon you, the abode of a people who are believers! What you were promised will come to pass tomorrow at a fixed time, and Allah willing we shall join you. Oh Allah, grant forgiveness to the inhabitants of Baqi’ah al-Gharqad!” [Muslim]
The significance of being buried in al-Baqi’ah is not only that the deceased is included in the Prophet’s special supplication. In a narration in Tirmidhi, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“I am the first for whom the Earth will burst open [on the Day of Judgment], then Abubakar, and then Umar. I shall then come to those who are buried in al-Baqi’ah and they will be gathered along with me. After that, I shall wait for the people of Makkah to be gathered among the inhabitants of the two sacred cities.” [Al-Tirmidhi]
What an enormous blessing, to be gathered with the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and so many of the pious believers on that day.
Respected brothers and sisters! Narrated Zaid Bin Aslam from his father:
“Umar (RA) said, O Allah! Grant me martyrdom in Your cause, and let my death or burial be in the city of Your Messenger (Peace be upon him).”
Imam An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) commented on this by saying:
“It is mustahabb to seek to die or to be buried in a virtuous land.” [See Al-Majmu, volume 5, page 106]
“In fact, Imam An-Nawawi included it in a chapter entitled: ‘Chapter on the recommendation for a person to pray that his death or his burial will be in the virtuous land’.” [See Al-Azkar, page 98]
It was narrated that Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Whoever can manage to die in Madinah, let him die there, for I will intercede for whoever dies there.” [Al-Tirmidhi]
Imam Al-Tibi said:
“He recommended dying there but that is not in the hands of any person; rather that is up to the decree of Allah, may He be exalted. But he enjoined staying there and settling there and not leaving it, and that may be a cause of dying there. This is like the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says: “Then die not except in the Faith of Islam. [Qur’an, 2:132].” [See Tuhfatul-Ahwazi, volume 10, page 286]
Ibn Haj said:
“It seems that whoever dies elsewhere then is transported and buried there will have a share of this intercession.” [See Faidul-Qadir, volume 6, page 70]
And the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) himself wished to exhale his last breath in Madinah as it is recorded by Imam Malik that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had said:
“There is nothing like dying in the way of Allah, but there is not on the face of this Earth a piece of land more beloved to me that my grave should be in, than this (Madinah).” And he repeated this statement three times.
The Islamic jurists (Fuqahah) are unanimously agreed that it is mustahabb to bury the deceased in the graveyard of the righteous and in virtuous places. They quote a great deal of evidence for that, including the following:
“Imam Malik narrated in al-Muwatta, volume 2, page 325, from more than one of those whom he trusted that Sa‘ad Ibn Abi Waqqas and Sa‘id Ibn Zaid Ibn Amr Ibn Nufail died in al-Aqiq and were carried to Madinah and buried there.”
Ibn Abdul-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The report to that effect from Sa‘ad and Sa‘id, as was narrated by Malik, is sahih.” [See Al-Istizkar, volume 3, page 57]
Fellow Muslims! And one of the most meaningful ways to honour the memory of a loved one who has passed away is by engaging in acts of charity on their behalf. In Islam, this is known as “Sadaqah Jariyah,” which translates to “continuous charity” or “ongoing charity.” It is a profound way to extend the positive impact of a person’s life even after they have left this world.
Sadaqah Jariyah can take various forms, but its essence lies in the idea that the rewards for these acts of charity continue to benefit the deceased and others in need indefinitely. Whether it’s building wells to provide clean water, constructing Mosques for worship and community development, supporting the needy with food and shelter, or helping build homes for those without adequate housing – you have the opportunity to choose a project that reflects the enduring impact your loved one had on your life and the lives of others.
Ya Allah, forgive Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata his sins, shortcomings and failings, raise his rank among those who are guided, and take care of those he leaves behind him. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds; expand his grave for him and illuminate it for him.
Indeed to Allah Alone belongs what He took, and to Him Alone belongs what He gave, and everything with Him has an appointed time; thus, be patient and hope for Allah’s reward.
Ya Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him. Protect him and pardon him. Grant him an honourable reception and widen his entrance. Wash him with water, snow and ice, and purify him from sin as a white garment is purified of dirt. Exchange his home for a better home, his family for a better family, and his spouse for a better spouse. Admit him into Jannah (Paradise), and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Hell-Fire. Ameen.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Prayers, peace and mercy are upon our beloved master, Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (Peace be upon him), his family and Companions.
*Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: [email protected] or +2348038289761.
