According to Abd al-Rahman Jabarti...

According to Abd al-Rahman Jabarti, after a year and a half of besieging Medina and causing starvation, Wahhabi forces entered the city and destroyed all the graves and tombs except the shrine of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his Household).

Contrary to Wahhabi beliefs, the Muslim majority (of both Sunni and Shi’a) are of the view that building mausoleums upon graves is not against Islamic beliefs and in addition, visiting the graves of religious figures and believers is a recommended act that has a long history in Islamic tradition. Besides, the religious sites in al-Baqi’ had historical importance as well and reminded the historical identity of Muslims.

Therefore, the demolition of al-Baqi’ sparked wide protests among Muslim countries and many religious and political leaders of Islamic countries reacted to this extremist behaviour of Wahhabis and condemned it.

People of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, China, Mongolia, and India expressed their sorrow and criticism in many correspondences and consequently, the Islamic government of Iran announced Safar 16, 1344 AH (equivalent to September 5, 1925) the national mourning day on the occasion of desecration of al-Baqi’.

Since that time until date, on Shawwal 8 of every year, which is known as Yawm al-Hadm (i.e., Day of Demolition), many Shiites across the world hold gatherings to remember the event and mourn. In other words, Yawm al-Hadm (lit. Day of Demolition) is the anniversary of the day on which al-Baqi’ Cemetery in Medina was demolished. In Dhul-Hijjah, 1227/1812, the Ottoman Empire sent an army under the commandership of the king’s son, Ibrahim Pasha to quench Wahhabis.

They sieged Medina and killed many Wahhabis and arrested many others who had taken refuge in a fort near Bab al-Shami. Saud b. Abdulaziz was defeated and his attempt to convince Muhammad ‘Ali Pasha not to surrender him and his fellows to the Ottoman king was unsuccessful and Medina was taken back.

Some monuments and shrines were reconstructed in 1234/1818-9 by the order of Sultan Mahmud al-Thani (ruling from 1223/1808-9 to 1255/1839-40), as some reports suggest the existence of shrines after those years.