Yaum-E-Wisal: The Demolition of Hazrat Khadija's Grave in Jannat Al-Mua'alla, Makkah And the Painful Loss of The Prophet (Pbuh)
By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, New Age Islam
28 February 2026
Deplorably enough for Muslims around the world, the sacred burial site and the resting place of the first and firmest believer in Islam — the unwavering supporter of the Prophet (pbuh), the sponsor and chief benefactor of his prophetic mission — was razed to the ground by those who presented themselves as the guardians of Islamic purity in Saudi Arabia. On Hazrat Khadija’s Yaum-e-Wisal (day of passing), we Muslims must remind ourselves of how deeply the demolition of her grave in Makkah must have pained the Prophet (pbuh)!
The 10th of Ramadan is widely remembered as the Yaum-e-Wisal (day of passing) of Khadija bint Khuwaylid (R.A) — the first believer in Islam and the most beloved wife of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
She passed away in the 10th year of Prophethood in Makkah. The Prophet (PBUH), shattered by her loss, declared that year as ‘Aam al-Huzn (The Year of Sorrow). Her passing was not merely a personal tragedy; it was a profound loss for the nascent Muslim community and, indeed, for humanity at large. She had been his comforter, supporter, sponsor, and shield during the most difficult phase of the prophetic mission.
Now reflect upon another painful chapter of history: the demolition of her grave in Jannat al-Mu'alla, the historic cemetery of Makkah where she is buried. Can one imagine how deeply such destruction would pain the heart of the Prophet (PBUH), who loved her with unmatched devotion?
Similarly, the demolition of graves in Jannat al-Baqi in Madinah — where many members of the Prophet’s family are buried, including his beloved daughter Bibi Fatimah Zahra (R.A) — remains a deeply emotional issue for countless Muslims.
The Demolition of Sacred History
In 1925, after Saudi control over the Hijaz was established, historical graves and mausoleums in Makkah and Madinah were demolished. Among them were marked structures over the grave of Hazrat Khadija (R.A).
The official justification was to prevent practices viewed as shirk — such as excessive veneration of graves or seeking intercession at burial sites. The demolitions were carried out under the religious ideology associated with the reform movement called Tehrik al-Tawhid inspired by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab—the founder idealogue of Wahhabism-Salafism. He declared seeking intercession at graves or turning them into sites of veneration as shirk (associating partners with Allah). As a result, domed structures over graves were removed. Identifying markers were largely flattened. The cemetery was left simple and unmarked. Today, the grave of Hazrat Khadija (R.A) remains in Jannat al-Mu'alla, but without any prominent structure.
Thus, this destruction represents not theological reform but a painful erasure of Islamic historical memory — a break from centuries of Muslim tradition that preserved sacred history as part of civilizational heritage.
For me and many Muslims across the world who love the holy Prophet (pbuh) and his family more than themselves, the destruction of these historic graves, including that of Hazrat Khadija (R.A), should be viewed as a painful loss of Islam, Islamic heritage and the whole prophetic history. Scholars and historians, from different faith traditions, rightly describe it as a cultural and historical erasure, a break from earlier Muslim traditions of preserving sacred history, and a deeply emotional issue, especially because of Hazrat Khadija’s immense status in Islam.
However, while the physical structure was demolished, the spiritual status of Hazrat Khadija (R.A) remains unchanged. She is honoured not just as the first believer in Islam, but rather the mother of the believers (Ummul Mo’minin) and the greatest supporter of the Prophet (PBUH) in the earliest days of Islam. No bulldozer can erase her sacrifice, faith, or legacy.
The year of her sad demise is known in Islamic history as ‘Aam al-Huzn (The Year of Sorrow) because shortly before or after her passing, the Prophet (PBUH) also lost his beloved supportive uncle Hazrat Abu Talib. Hazrat Khadija (R.A) had endured the hardships of the boycott in Shi‘b Abi Talib, spending her wealth and strength for Islam. The physical suffering during those difficult years greatly affected her health, and she returned to Allah shortly after the boycott ended.
Now, her Yaum-e-Wisal on 10th Ramadan reminds us of her lifelong sacrifice for Islam, her patience during extreme hardship, her unwavering belief in Allah and His Messenger and her unconditional support for her husband as the final Prophet of Islam (pbuh). Even years after her passing, the Prophet (pbuh) remembered her with deep love and loyalty. This deep, lasting and eternal bond between the Prophet and his first wife can be understood with some of the fascinating stories as follows:
When the Prophet (PBUH) received the first revelation in the cave of Hira, he returned home trembling. It was Hazrat Khadija (R.A) who comforted him, reassured him, and declared her firm belief in him without hesitation. At a time when others doubted and mocked, she stood like a mountain beside him. She did not ask for proof or miracles—her heart recognized the truth. Her faith was not weak or emotional; it was deep, thoughtful, and firm. She supported the mission of Islam from the very first day. Most remarkably, she took her husband to her cousin brother Warqa Bin Noufal Al-Asadi, a Christian scholar of Torah and Injeel who foretold the truth
Most remarkably, it was Khadija bint Khuwaylid (R.A) who, after comforting her husband, took him to her learned cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, an established pre-Islamic Christian scholar well-versed in the Torah and the Injīl. When the Prophet described the extraordinary experience in the Cave of Hira, Waraqah listened attentively and then declared that the being who had appeared to him was the same Namūs (the Angel Jibrīl) who had come to Prophet Moses (Musa). He affirmed that Muhammad (PBUH) had indeed been chosen as a Prophet and foretold that his people would oppose and persecute him. This moment is deeply significant for several reasons: It shows Hazrat Khadija’s wisdom and presence of mind in seeking knowledgeable counsel. It also reflects her immediate and unwavering faith in her husband’s truthfulness, and at the same time, it highlights the inter-scriptural and cross-religious recognition of Prophethood at the dawn of Islam. Waraqah’s words served as early confirmation and reassurance during a time of great uncertainty. Yet it was Hazrat Khadija (R.A) who first recognized the truth in her heart — before any scholar testified — and stood firmly beside the Messenger of Allah. Thus, her insight, courage, and trust in Allah remain among the most remarkable qualities of her noble life.
The early years of Islam were full of suffering. The Quraysh boycotted the Muslims, cutting off trade, food, and social ties. During the harsh boycott in Shi‘b Abi Talib, Hazrat Khadija (R.A) endured hunger, weakness, and pain. She had once lived a life of comfort and wealth, but she chose hardship for the sake of Allah. She never complained. She never regretted her choice.
Hazrat Khadija (R.A) was one of the wealthiest women of Makkah. Yet she gave her wealth freely to support Islam and the poor. She spent everything for the cause of Allah. Her home became a place of safety for the early Muslims. Her generosity was not just financial—it was emotional and spiritual too. She gave love, confidence, and strength to the Prophet (PBUH). He never forgot her sacrifices. Even years after her death, he would remember her with deep love and respect.
Love That Did Not End with Death!
Even many years after the passing of Hazrat Khadija-tul-Kubra (R.A), the holy Prophet (pbuh) never forgot her love, loyalty, and sacrifices. He would remember her with deep affection and speak of her virtues with shining eyes. Whenever a goat was slaughtered, he would send portions of meat as gifts to the old friends of Hazrat Khadija (R.A). These women had grown quite elderly by then, yet he continued to honour them — not because of their status, but because they had been connected to Khadija.
On one occasion, when he sent a gift to one of her friends, Aisha bint Abi Bakr (R.A) expressed natural jealousy and said that Allah had given him better wives after Khadija. The Prophet (pbuh) responded emotionally, praising Khadija’s unmatched loyalty. He said she believed in him when others rejected him, supported him with her wealth when others deprived him, and stood by him when the world turned against him. His continued generosity toward her old friends was not merely kindness — it was living remembrance, a beautiful example of faithful love and an abiding bond with an abundant gratitude that remains unmatched in human history.
This extraordinary loyalty between the Prophet (pbuh) as husband and Khadija (r.a) as wife teaches us that true love does not end with death!
While physical structures may be demolished, spiritual greatness remains untouched. Hazrat Khadija (R.A) lives not in stone, but in the conscience of the Ummah!
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