Does the Burial in Madinah Pave Way to Paradise?

The Islamic approach towards dealing with any issue relating to faith and practice is direct. Thus this invariably involves looking at what the Qur’an has to say, how this was understood and applied by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the pious generations, who are considered our perennial role models in all matters of deen (religion).
Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, current President of the Fiqh Council of North America, states: All space and time belong to Allah and wherever one is buried, if one lives the life of faith and righteousness, Allah will bless that person and will grant him or her Jannah. True and sincere faith (iman) is essential for receiving the grace of Allah.

However, Islam also has a concept of sacred place and time. There are certain places that are sacred and blessed by Allah, and there are certain times that are especially chosen by Him. Makkah, Madinah, and Jerusalem are the most sacred cities. Friday, the month of Ramadan, and the Day of `Arafah are also the most sacred times in Islam. Things done at a sacred place and/or in a sacred time do have especial significance, but the most important thing is faith. Without sincere iman, nothing will work. Madinah is a blessed city of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Those who believed in Allah and in His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah blessed them and will bless them. But Allah mentions in the Qur’an that in Madinah there were also some people who were hypocrites (At-Tawbah 9: 101). Their living and dying in Madinah did not help them at all.
However, there is nothing wrong in going to Madinah to live there for the service and devotion of Allah and to have a desire to die there and be buried in that sacred city. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is buried in Madinah. Thousands of his Companions are buried there and then after that, hundreds of thousands of believers have been buried there during the past fourteen hundred years. Many pious and righteous people in the past did migrate to Madinah with the desire to die and be buried there. This tradition is continuous. The Jannatul Baqee` is a very blessed cemetery. It is the main cemetery of the people of Madinah. There is a small section of the cemetery that is reserved for the graves of the Prophet’s wives (the Mothers of the Believers), his family members and some of the prominent Companions. The rest of the cemetery is still used for the burial of people who die in Madinah. The graves are neither marked nor reserved. After some time another person can be buried in the same grave.
Only Allah knows who will go to Jannah. If a person dies with iman, then there is a great hope that he or she will find many blessings just by being near the blessed people of Baqee`. There is also nothing wrong in desiring to be buried close to pious and righteous people. The Prophet’s Companions Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) were buried next to him. They desired his closeness and Allah gave them this honor.