Hyderabad Umrah pilgrims laid to rest at Jannatul Baqi after Madinah accident
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Umrah pilgrims who died in the recent bus accident near Madinah received their final rites at Jannatul Baqi on Saturday after Salat al-Janazah took place at the Prophet’s Mosque. Shaykh Abdul Bari al-Thubaiti led the funeral prayer after Dhuhr. Soon after the prayer, pallbearers carried the bodies out of the mosque and moved them towards the cemetery for burial.
A Telangana government delegation reached Madinah to attend the funeral. Minorities Minister Mohammed Azharuddin led the team, and he was accompanied by Minorities Welfare Secretary B. Shafiullah and AIMIM legislator Majid Hussain. The delegation met Saudi officials and expressed support to the grieving families. Moreover, the Indian Embassy stated on X that the last rites concluded on November 22. Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice S. Abdul Nazeer, Ambassador Dr. Suhel Khan and Consul General Fahad Suri also joined the funeral and burial.
Jannatul Baqi burials of Hyderabad Umrah pilgrims
Jannatul Baqi stands beside the Prophet’s Mosque and remains one of the holiest Islamic burial sites. Nearly ten thousand companions of Prophet Muhammad rest there, along with several members of his family and many scholars. The Prophet visited the cemetery frequently and prayed for its dwellers, which strengthened its spiritual status. Islamic tradition considers burial in Madinah a profound honour. The Prophet said, “Whoever among you can manage to die in Madinah, let him do so, for I will testify on behalf of those who die here.”
Families in Hyderabad continue to struggle with immense loss. Even so, many found comfort because their loved ones entered a resting place cherished across the Muslim world. The site carries long-standing associations with piety, mercy and reverence.
The accident occurred on Monday, November 17, when a bus carrying the pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah collided with an oil tanker around 1:30 am Saudi time. The bus caught fire after the crash. As a result, at least 45 Hyderabad Umrah pilgrims died at the site. Most of them belonged to Asif Nagar, Jhirra, Mehdipatnam and Tolichowki.
A total of 54 pilgrims travelled to Jeddah on November 9. Of them, four later drove to Madinah by car, and four stayed back in Makkah. The remaining 46 boarded the bus that met with the accident. Forty-five of them died immediately, while the lone survivor, Abdul Shoeb Mohammed, remained in critical condition in a Saudi hospital ICU.