Where Was the Prophet (PBUH) Buried?
أين دفن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم؟
The companions differed as to where the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) should be buried, and Abu Bakr said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: (Allah never takes a prophet except in the place where He loves for him to be buried) (Jami at-Tirmidhi 1018) (Corrected here from the original published wording, which quoted a version of this hadith with a weak chain; the wording above is the authentic narration in at-Tirmidhi.), so Abu Talha removed the bed of the Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) which he died on, dug under it, made a grave in the house of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). The companions washed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) without stripping him of his clothes, then shrouded him in three robes, and the people entered the room in groups, ten at a time, to pray over him; then he was buried (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). (Corrected here from the original published wording, which placed the burial before the funeral prayers.) They started with his tribe, then the immigrants, then the Ansar, the women then the boys.
O Allah, bestow Your favor on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have bestowed Your favor on Ibrahim and on the family of Ibrahim, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. “O Allah , bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst bless Abraham and Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious. O Allah , grant favours to Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst grant favours to Abraham and Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.
اختلف الصحابة في أين يدفنون رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم ، فقال أبو بكر: إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول:(ما قبض الله نبيا إلا في الموضع الذي يحب أن يدفن فيه) رواه الترمذي (1018) (صُحّح هنا لفظ الحديث إلى رواية الترمذي الصحيحة، بدل لفظ ورد بإسناد ضعيف.) ، فرفع أبو طلحة فراش النبي صلى الله عليه الذي توفي عليه ، فحفر تحته ، وجعل القبر لحدا في بيت عائشة رضي الله عنها، وغسل الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم من غير أن يجردوه من ثيابه، ثم كفنوه في ثلاثة أثواب، ودخل الناس الحجرة أرسالا عشرة فعشرة، يصلون على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولا يؤمهم أحد، فصلى عليه أولا أهل عشيرته، ثم المهاجرون، ثم الأنصار، وصلت عليه النساء بعد الرجال، ثم الصبيان، ثم دُفن صلى الله عليه وسلم. (صُحّح هنا ترتيب الأحداث، إذ كان النص المنشور سابقا يذكر الدفن قبل الصلاة عليه.)
اللهم صلِّ على محمد وعلى آل محمد، كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم، إنك حميد مجيد.
اللهم بارك على محمد وعلى آل محمد، كما باركت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم، إنك حميد مجيد.
1. Passing Away in the Chamber of Aisha | قبض روحه الشريفة في حجر أم المؤمنين عائشة
On Monday, the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal in the eleventh year of the Hijrah, Prophet Muhammad passed away in his private apartment belonging to Aisha, resting between her chest and throat, murmuring his final supplication: "Rather, the Exalted Companionship on High."
إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ (سورة الزمر: 30)
توفي النبي ﷺ ضحى يوم الاثنين في الثاني عشر من ربيع الأول سنة 11 هـ، في حجرة أم المؤمنين عائشة رضي الله عنها، ورأسه الشريف مسند إلى صدرها، مردداً كلماته الأخيرة: "بل الرفيق الأعلى".
2. The Companions' Initial Disagreement Over Burial | اختلاف الصحابة في موضع الدفن بعد الفاجعة
Following his death, grief swept over Medina. The companions differed on where to bury him: some suggested his mosque, and others the graveyard of Al-Baqi' alongside his companions.
وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ (سورة لقمان: 34)
حين وقعت الفاجعة اختلف كبار الصحابة أين يدفنونه: فقال بعضهم يُدفن في مسجده، وقال آخرون يُدفن بالبقيع مع أصحابه.
3. Abu Bakr Resolves the Matter Through Prophetic Sunnah | الصديق يحسم الأمر بحديث نبوي شريف محفوظ
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq resolved the dispute decisively by sharing an authentic saying of the Prophet: "Allah never takes a prophet except in the exact place where He loves for him to be buried." He instructed: "Bury him at the place where his bed lay."
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ (سورة النساء: 65)
حسم الصديق أبو بكر الخلاف بفقهه وحفظه لسنة المصطفى؛ فقال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: "ما قبض الله نبياً إلا في الموضع الذي يحب أن يدفن فيه"، ثم قال أبو بكر: "فادفنوه في موضع فراشه"، فسلم الجميع لحكم السنة.
4. The Digging of the Blessed Grave | حفر القبر الشريف واللحد المبارك
The bed was moved, and Abu Talhah Zayd ibn Sahl dug a lahd (a niche carved into the side wall of the grave, the style used in Madinah). The Prophet was laid to rest gently, facing the Qiblah, shrouded in three white cotton garments.
مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ (سورة طه: 55)
رُفع الفراش وحفر له أبو طلحة الأنصاري لحداً في أرض الحجرة، ووُضع الجسد الطاهر في الثرى برفق مستقبلاً القبلة، بعد أن صلى عليه المسلمون أفراداً رجالاً ونساءً وصبياناً بلا إمام.
5. Burial of Abu Bakr and Umar by His Side | مرافقة الصديق والفاروق له في الحجرة الشريفة
Aisha continued to reside in the remaining section of the room. Later, Abu Bakr was buried beside the Prophet, followed years later by Umar ibn al-Khattab with Aisha's gracious permission, uniting the three leaders together beneath the green dome.
مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ (سورة النساء: 69)
ظل في الحجرة موضع فدُفن بجواره بعد وفاته وزيره وصاحبه أبو بكر الصديق، ثم استأذن عمر بن الخطاب عائشة فأذنت له ليدفن إلى جوار صاحبيه، فاجتمعت الأجساد الثلاثة الطاهرة في تلك البقعة المباركة.
Scholarly Insight: The burial of the Prophet beneath his deathbed in Aisha's room reflects the unique legal sanctity of prophets, who are interred where their souls are retrieved. Read more in the tafsir of Surah Ali 'Imran.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Where was Prophet Muhammad buried?
In the chamber of his wife Aisha in Medina, beneath the exact location of the bed on which he died.
Why was he buried in his room instead of the public graveyard?
Because Abu Bakr shared the Prophet's hadith: "Allah never takes a prophet except in the place where He loves for him to be buried" (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1018).
Who dug the grave of the Prophet?
Abu Talhah al-Ansari, who dug a lahd (side niche) in the floor of Aisha's chamber.
Who else is buried in the chamber beside the Prophet?
His two closest companions and successors, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and Umar ibn al-Khattab.
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →