Saudi Arabia Bulldozes Over Its Heritage

[AmirPatriot]

An aerial view shows the Clock Tower, the Grand Mosque, and surrounding constructions sites in the holy city of Mecca, in 2013. Fayez Nureldine—AFP/Getty Images

Saudi Arabia Bulldozes Over Its Heritage

For centuries the Kaaba, the black cube in the center of Mecca, Saudi Arabia that is Islam's holiest point, has been encircled by arched porticos erected some three centuries ago by the Ottomans, above dozens of carved marble columns dating back to the 8th century. But earlier this month, any vestiges of the portico and columns were reduced to rubble, cleared to make way for the Saudi government's expansion of Mecca's Grand Mosque.

The $21 billion project, launched in 2011, is designed to meet the challenges of accommodating the millions of pilgrims who visit Mecca and Medina every year. Around 2 million currently visit during Hajj alone, the annual pilgrimage that happens during the last month of the Islamic calendar. But activists charge that the recent destructions are part of a much wider government campaign to rub out historical and religious sites across the Kingdom.


Over the last few years, mosques and key sites dating from the time of Muhammad have been knocked down or destroyed, as have Ottoman-era mansions, ancient wells and stone bridges. Over 98% of the Kingdom's historical and religious sites have been destroyed since 1985, estimates the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation in London. "It's as if they wanted to wipe out history," says Ali Al-Ahmed, of the Institute for Gulf Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Wahhabism, the prevailing Saudi strain of Islam, frowns on visits to shrines, tombs or religio-historical sites, on grounds that they might lead to Islam's gravest sin: worshipping anyone other than God. In recent years, the twin forks of Wahhabi doctrine and urban development have speared most physical reminders of Islamic history in the heart of Mecca. The house of the Prophet's first wife, Khadijah has made way for public toilets. A Hilton hotel stands on the site of the house of Islam's first caliph, Abu Bakr. Famously, the Kaaba now stands in the shade of one of the world's tallest buildings, the Mecca Royal Clock Tower, part of a complex built by the Bin Laden Group, boasting a 5-story shopping mall, luxury hotels and a parking garage.

Saudi officials did not respond to interview requests, but in the past, they have said that the expansion project is necessary to cater to the ever-growing number of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, a number forecast to reach 17 million by 2025. When it's done, the expansion of the mataf, the area where the faithful circumambulate around the Kaaba, will treble its capacity, to 150,000 people; the Great Mosque will be able to hold 2.5 million.

Amir Pasic, of IRCICA, the culture organization of the 56-nation Organization of Islamic Conference, points out that the logistics for Hajj dwarf those required for a World Cup or Olympics. "Every time has the right to make changes on the existing urban set-up," he said. "Every generation tries to develop something. The Kaaba is what's important."

If Mecca's new skyline is impossible to ignore, what with 48 searchlights beaming from the top of the Clock Tower, other changes to the landscape are more insidious. "Everyone's focused on [the two mosque expansion projects], but people are not focusing on what we're losing in the meantime," says Saudi activist, poet and photographer Nimah Ismail Nawwab. After blue markings appear on sites mentioned in Islamic histories, says Nawwab, then the bulldozers come--often in the dead of night. "Everything happens at night," she told TIME by phone from Saudi Arabia. "By the next day in the morning, the monument is gone."

It's not just in Mecca, either. Over a year ago, the split in Mount Uhud, north of Medina, where Muhammad was said to have been carried after being wounded in the famous Battle of Uhud was filled with concrete. A fence went up at the base of the mountain, warning would-be visitors that it was just a mountain, like any other. Six small mosques in Medina where Muhammad is believed to have prayed have been locked. The seventh, belonging to Islam's first caliph Abu Bakr, has been razed to make way for an ATM. Nawwab, along with a small group of historians and activists, has tried to raise awareness by photographing sites and starting a Twitter campaign, but says "it's a losing battle, despite the fact that what's being lost is not just Muslim history, but human history."

When the Taliban blew up the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan in 2001, they were met with international condemnation. The response to the demolition activity in the Kingdom, by contrast, has been decidedly muted. "When it comes to Mecca, as far as we are concerned it's a Saudi question," says Roni Amelan, a spokesman for UNESCO, the United Nation's cultural body. The Saudi government has never submitted Mecca for inclusion on the list of World Heritage Sites. As UNESCO's mandate requires a respect for the sovereignty of individual countries, "we don't have a legal basis to stake a position regarding it," adds Amelan.

Muslim governments, perhaps mindful of the power of the Saudis to cut their quotas for how many pilgrims can attend Hajj, have been strikingly silent on the issue. The Organization of the Islamic Conference has also been noticeably quiet on the destruction of the Saudi campaign. One exception has been Turkey, whose Ottoman heritage has also long been under threat. In September, Mehmet Gormez, head of the Dinayet, Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs, told journalists that he told Saudi's minister of Hajj that the skyscraper overshadowing the Kaaba "destroys history," the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News reported. "History is being destroyed in the Holy Land each day," he added.

For pilgrims old enough to remember the dangerous crush of crowds in the 1980s, the spate of new development may be welcome, offering a chance for comfort on their spiritual journey. For other Muslims, like Ziauddin Sardar, author of the recent Mecca: The Sacred City, the vigor of the Saudi campaign springs from financial jitters. "The Saudis know the oil is going to run out," he said. "Hajj is already their second major source of income, after oil. They look at Dubai, and Qatar, and ask 'what are we going to do?' And they say, 'We have Hajj, and we're going to exploit it to the max.'"

Though the Saudi rulers have a long history of destroying historical sites, activists say the pace and range of destruction has recently increased. A few months ago, the house of Hamza, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle, was flattened to make way for a Meccan hotel, according to Irfan Al Alawi, executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation. There have even been rumored threats to Muhammad's tomb in Medina and his birthplace in Mecca.

A 61-page report, published recently in Saudi Arabia's Journal of the Royal Presidency, suggested separating the Prophet's tomb from Medina's mosque, a task "that would amount to its destruction," Alawi says. "You can't move it without destroying it." Moreover, he alleges, plans for a new palace for King Abdullah threaten the library atop the site traditionally identified as the birthplace of Muhammad. Even now, signs in four languages warn visitors that there is no proof that the Prophet Muhammad was born there, "so it is forbidden to make this place specific for praying, supplicating or get [sic] blessing."

http://time.com/3584585/saudi-arabia-bulldozes-over-its-heritage/

 

[Deliorman]

Last time someone opened a thread about Saudis destroying (hundreds of old buildings, mosques, graves etc) Mecca and Medina and turning them into a flashy money making machines it was closed down and deleted. Let's see how long this thread which tells some bitter truths survives.

ps What's the point of building the monstrosity called Abraj Al Bait... building it so close to the heart of Islam? What is the symbolic meaning of all this?

 

[denel]

they dont care.... in their mindsets, it is better to just build these massive palaces and buildings around the Kaaba. It is just a travesty; there is no respect what so ever to historical sites.

The prophets were right that the time of end is near. It is just pathetic.

Last time someone opened a thread about Saudis destroying (hundreds of old buildings, mosques, graves etc) Mecca and Medina and turning them into a flashy money making machines it was closed down and deleted. Let's see how long this thread which tells some bitter truths survives.

You are absolutely correct friend. On this forum, they like to appease saudis. Noone talks to what is going on right from FGM to human right abuses across the GCC. You will get lunatics who come after you with hate and racist and foul languages.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Why is this KSA/Arab obsessed troll posting a 3 year old propaganda article that has been disproven ages ago?

So much unverified and outright lies in this article to even counter it. It was done years ago on PDF by numerous users from KSA and proof was posted as well.

The ongoing expansion projects are state of the art projects and 100's of Islamic heritage sites have been renovated in recent years. Prince Sultan has done a marvelous job on this front and has even been praised internationally for his work.

 

[AmirPatriot]

The photos Saudi Arabia doesn't want seen – and proof Islam's most holy relics are being demolished in Mecca

Archaeologists fear billion-pound development has led to destruction of key historical sites

Photos taken by activists in Saudi Arabia showing the destruction of the Grand Mosque


The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion pound expansion.

Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

The building, which is also known as the Grand Mosque, is the holiest site in Islam because it contains the Kaaba – the point to which all Muslims face when praying. The columns are the last remaining sections of the mosque which date back more than a few hundred years and form the inner perimeter on the outskirts of the white marble floor surrounding the Kaaba.

The new photos, taken over the last few weeks, have caused alarm among archaeologists and come as Prince Charles – a long-term supporter of preserving architectural heritage – flew into Saudi Arabia yesterday for a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall. The timing of his tour has been criticised by human rights campaigners after the Saudis shot seven men in public earlier this week despite major concerns about their trial and the fact that some of the men were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes.

Photos taken by activists in Saudi Arabia showing the destruction of the Grand Mosque
Many of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns in Mecca were inscribed with intricate Arabic calligraphy marking the names of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and key moments in his life. One column which is believed to have been ripped down is supposed to mark the spot where Muslims believe Muhammad began his heavenly journey on a winged horse, which took him to Jerusalem and heaven in a single night.

To accommodate the ever increasing number of pilgrims heading to the twin holy cities of Mecca and Medina each year the Saudi authorities have embarked upon a massive expansion project. Billions of pounds have been poured in to increase the capacity of the Masjid al-Haram and the Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina which marks where Muhammad is buried. King Abdullah has put the prominent Wahabi cleric and imam of the Grand Mosque, Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, in charge of the expansion while the Saudi Binladin Group – one of the country’s largest firms – has won the construction contract.

While there is little disagreement over the need to expand, critics have accused the Saudi regime of wantonly disregarding the archaeological, historical and cultural heritage of Islam’s two holiest cities. In the last decade Mecca has been transformed from a dusty desert pilgrimage town into a gleaming metropolis of skyscrapers that tower over the Masjid al-Haram and are filled with a myriad of shopping malls, luxury apartments and five star hotels.

But such a transformation has come at a cost. The Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of Mecca's millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades alone. Dozens of key historical sites dating back to the birth of Islam have already been lost and there is a scramble among archaeologists and academics to try and encourage the authorities to preserve what little remains.

Many senior Wahabis are vehemently against the preservation of historical Islamic sites that are linked to the prophet because they believe it encourages shirq – the sin of idol worshipping.

But Dr Irfan al-Alawi, executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation which obtained the new photographs from inside the Grand Mosque, says the removal of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns will leave future generations of Muslims ignorant of their significance.

“It matters because many of these columns signified certain areas of the mosque where the Prophet sat and prayed,” he said. “ The historical record is being deleted. A new Muslim would never have a clue because there’s nothing marking these locations now. There are ways you could expand Mecca and Medina while protecting the historical heritage of the mosque itself and the surrounding sites.”

Photos taken by activists in Saudi Arabia showing the destruction of the Grand Mosque
There are signs that King Abdullah has listened to concerns about the historical destruction of Mecca and Medina. Last October The Independent revealed how new plans for the masjid an-Nabawi in Medina would result in the destruction of three of the world’s oldest mosques on the west hand side of the main complex. However new plans approved by King Abdullah last week appear to show a change of heart with the bulk of the expansion now slated to take place to the north of the Masjid an-Nabawi.

However key sites are still at risk. The Independent has obtained a presentation used by the Saudis to illustrate how the expansion of Mecca’s main mosque will look. In one of the slides it is clear that the Bayt al-Mawlid, an area which is believed to be the house where Muhammad was born in, will have to be removed unless plans change.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...y-relics-are-being-demolished-in-8536968.html
The Independent asked the Saudi Embassy in London a number of questions about the expansion plans and why more was not being done to preserve key historical sites. They replied: “Thank you for calling, but no comment.”

 

[Saif al-Arab]

The photos Saudi Arabia doesn't want seen – and proof Islam's most holy relics are being demolished in Mecca

Archaeologists fear billion-pound development has led to destruction of key historical sites

Photos taken by activists in Saudi Arabia showing the destruction of the Grand Mosque


The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion pound expansion.

Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

The building, which is also known as the Grand Mosque, is the holiest site in Islam because it contains the Kaaba – the point to which all Muslims face when praying. The columns are the last remaining sections of the mosque which date back more than a few hundred years and form the inner perimeter on the outskirts of the white marble floor surrounding the Kaaba.

The new photos, taken over the last few weeks, have caused alarm among archaeologists and come as Prince Charles – a long-term supporter of preserving architectural heritage – flew into Saudi Arabia yesterday for a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall. The timing of his tour has been criticised by human rights campaigners after the Saudis shot seven men in public earlier this week despite major concerns about their trial and the fact that some of the men were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes.

Photos taken by activists in Saudi Arabia showing the destruction of the Grand Mosque
Many of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns in Mecca were inscribed with intricate Arabic calligraphy marking the names of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and key moments in his life. One column which is believed to have been ripped down is supposed to mark the spot where Muslims believe Muhammad began his heavenly journey on a winged horse, which took him to Jerusalem and heaven in a single night.

To accommodate the ever increasing number of pilgrims heading to the twin holy cities of Mecca and Medina each year the Saudi authorities have embarked upon a massive expansion project. Billions of pounds have been poured in to increase the capacity of the Masjid al-Haram and the Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina which marks where Muhammad is buried. King Abdullah has put the prominent Wahabi cleric and imam of the Grand Mosque, Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, in charge of the expansion while the Saudi Binladin Group – one of the country’s largest firms – has won the construction contract.

While there is little disagreement over the need to expand, critics have accused the Saudi regime of wantonly disregarding the archaeological, historical and cultural heritage of Islam’s two holiest cities. In the last decade Mecca has been transformed from a dusty desert pilgrimage town into a gleaming metropolis of skyscrapers that tower over the Masjid al-Haram and are filled with a myriad of shopping malls, luxury apartments and five star hotels.

But such a transformation has come at a cost. The Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of Mecca's millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades alone. Dozens of key historical sites dating back to the birth of Islam have already been lost and there is a scramble among archaeologists and academics to try and encourage the authorities to preserve what little remains.

Many senior Wahabis are vehemently against the preservation of historical Islamic sites that are linked to the prophet because they believe it encourages shirq – the sin of idol worshipping.

But Dr Irfan al-Alawi, executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation which obtained the new photographs from inside the Grand Mosque, says the removal of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns will leave future generations of Muslims ignorant of their significance.

“It matters because many of these columns signified certain areas of the mosque where the Prophet sat and prayed,” he said. “ The historical record is being deleted. A new Muslim would never have a clue because there’s nothing marking these locations now. There are ways you could expand Mecca and Medina while protecting the historical heritage of the mosque itself and the surrounding sites.”

Photos taken by activists in Saudi Arabia showing the destruction of the Grand Mosque
There are signs that King Abdullah has listened to concerns about the historical destruction of Mecca and Medina. Last October The Independent revealed how new plans for the masjid an-Nabawi in Medina would result in the destruction of three of the world’s oldest mosques on the west hand side of the main complex. However new plans approved by King Abdullah last week appear to show a change of heart with the bulk of the expansion now slated to take place to the north of the Masjid an-Nabawi.

However key sites are still at risk. The Independent has obtained a presentation used by the Saudis to illustrate how the expansion of Mecca’s main mosque will look. In one of the slides it is clear that the Bayt al-Mawlid, an area which is believed to be the house where Muhammad was born in, will have to be removed unless plans change.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...y-relics-are-being-demolished-in-8536968.html
The Independent asked the Saudi Embassy in London a number of questions about the expansion plans and why more was not being done to preserve key historical sites. They replied: “Thank you for calling, but no comment.”

Keep posting 4 year old nonsense articles that have been disproven ages ago. The Independent.

Those Abbasid porticos have been restored and renovated. I can post a photo of them within a few minutes.

Propaganda won't work with me. I have family members involved in this expansion project.

 

[DjSnake]

Mecca looks more like Las Vegas without the booze

 

[AmirPatriot]

History of the Cemetery Of Jannat Al-Baqi
Where Imam Hasan Ibn Ali (2nd Imam), Imam Ali Ibn Al-Husayn (4th imam), Imam Muhammad Ibn Ali (5th imam), & Imam Ja'far Ibn Muhammad (6th imam), peace be upon them, are buried

On 8th Shawwal, Wednesday, in the year 1345 AH (April 21, 1925), mausoleums in Jannatul Al-Baqi (Madina) were demolished by King Ibn Saud.

In the same year (1925), he also demolished the tombs of holy personages at Jannat al-Mualla (Makkah) where the Holy Prophet (s)'s mother, wife, grandfather and other ancestors are buried.

Destruction of sacred sites in Hijaz by the Saudi Wahhabis continues even today. According to some scholars what is happening in Hijaz is actually a conspiracy plotted by the Jews against Islam, under the guise of Tawheed. The idea is to eradicate the Islamic legacy and heritage and to systematically remove all its vestiges so that in the days to come, Muslims will have no affiliation with their religious history.

The Origins of Al-Baqi
Literally “Al-Baqi” means a tree garden. It is also known as “Jannat Al-Baqi” due to its sanctity, since in it are buried many of our Prophet's relatives and companions.

The first companion buried in Al-Baqi was Uthman Ibn Madhoon who died on the 3rd of Sha'ban in the 3rd year of Hijrah. The Prophet (s) ordered certain trees to be felled, and in its midst, he buried his dear companion, placing two stones over the grave.

On the following years, the Prophet's son Ibrahim, who died in infancy and over whom the Prophet (s) wept bitterly, was also buried there. The people of Madina then began to use that site for the burial of their own dead, because the Prophet (s) used to greet those who were buried in Al-Baqi by saying, “Peace be upon you, O abode of the faithful! God willing, we should soon join you. O' Allah, forgive the fellows of al-Baqi”.

The site of the burial ground at al-Baqi was gradually extended. Nearly seven thousand companions of the Holy Prophet (s) were buried there, not to mention those of the Ahlul Bayt (a). Imam Hasan Ibn Ali (a), Imam Ali Ibn Al-Husayn (a), Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a), and Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq (a) were all buried there.

Among other relatives of the Prophet (s) who were buried at al-Baqi are: his aunts Safiya and Aatika, and his aunt Fatima Bint Al-Asad, the mother of Imam Ali (a). The third caliph Uthman was buried outside al-Baqi, but with later extensions, his grave was included in the area. In later years, great Muslim scholars like Malik Ibn Anas and many others, were buried there too. Thus, did al-Baqi become a well-known place of great historic significance to all Muslims.

Al-Baqi as viewed by historians
Umar Ibn Jubair describes Al-Baqi as he saw it during his travel to Madina, saying “Al-Baqi is situated to the east of Madina. You enter it through the gate known as the gate of al-Baqi. As you enter, the first grave you see on your left is that of Safiya, the Prophet's aunt, and further still is the grave of Malik bin Anas, the Imam of Madina. On his grave is raised a small dome.

In front of it is the grave of Ibrahim son of our Prophet (s) with a white dome over it, and next to it on the right is the grave of Abdul-Rahman son of Umar bin Al-Khattab, popularly known as Abu Shahma, whose father had kept punishing him till death overtook him. Facing it are the graves of Aqeel bin Abi Talib and Abdullah bin Ja'far Al-Tayyar. There, facing those graves is a small shrine containing the graves of the Prophet's wives, following by a shrine of Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib.

The grave of Hasan bin Ali (a), situated near the gate to it's right hand, has an elevated dome over it. His head lies at the feet of Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, and both graves are raised high above the ground, their walls are paneled with yellow plates and studded with beautiful star-shaped nails. This is how the grave of Ibrahim, son of the Prophet (s) has also been adorned. Behind the shrine of Abbas there is the house attributed to Fatima, daughter of our Prophet (s), known as “Bayt Al-Ahzaan” (the house of grief) because it is the house she used to frequent in order to mourn the death of her father, the chosen one, peace be upon him. At the farthest end of al-Baqi is the grave of the caliph Uthman, with a small dome over it, and there, next to it, is the grave of Fatima bint Asad, mother of Ali b. Abi Talib (a)”

After a century and a half, the famous traveller Ibn Batuta came to describe al-Baqi in a way which does not in any way differ from the description given by Ibn Jubair. He adds saying, “At al-Baqi are the graves of numerous Muhajirin and Ansar and many companions of the Prophet (s), except that most of their names are unknown.”

Thus, over the centuries, al-Baqi remained a sacred site with renovations being carried out as and when needed till the Wahhabis rose to power in the early nineteenth century. The latter desecrated the tombs and demonstrated disrespect to the martyrs and the companions of the Prophet (s) buried there. Muslims who disagreed with them were branded as “infidels” and were subsequently killed.

The First Destruction of Al-Baqi
The Wahhabis believed that visiting the graves and the shrines of the Prophets, the Imams, or the saints was a form of idolatry and totally un-Islamic. Those who did not conform with their belief were killed and their property was confiscated. Since their first invasion of Iraq, and till nowadays, in fact, the Wahhabis, as well as other rulers of the Gulf States, having been carrying out massacres from which no Muslim who disagreed with them was spared. Obviously, the rest of the Islamic World viewed those graves with deep reverence. Had it not been so, the two caliphs Abu Bakr and Umar would not have expressed their desire for burial near the grave of the Prophet (s).

From 1205 AH to 1217 AH, the Wahhabis made several attempts to gain a foothold in Hijaz but failed. Finally, in 1217 AH, they somehow emerged victorious in Taif where they spilled the innocent blood of Muslims. In 1218 AH, they entered Makkah and destroyed all sacred places and domes there, including the one which served as a canopy over the well of Zamzam.

In 1221, the Wahhabis entered Madina to desecrate al-Baqi as well as every mosque they came across. An attempt was even made to demolish the Prophet's tomb, but for one reason or another, the idea was abandoned. In subsequent years, Muslims from Iraq, Syria, and Egypt were refused entry into Makkah for Hajj. King Al-Saud set a precondition that those who wished to perform the pilgrimage would have to accept Wahhabism or else be branded as non-Muslims, becoming ineligible for entry into the Haram.

Al-Baqi was razed to the ground, with no sign of any grave or tomb whatsoever. But the Saudis were still not quite satisfied with doing all of that. Their king ordered three black attendants at the Prophet's shrine to show him where the treasure of valuable gifts were stored. The Wahhabis plundered the treasure for their own use.

Thousands of Muslims fled Makkah and Madina in a bid to save their lives and escape from the mounting pressure and persecution at the hands of the Wahhabis. Muslims from all over the world denounced this Saudi savagery and exhorted the Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire to save the sacred shrines from total destruction.

Then, as it is known, Muhammad Ali Basha attacked Hijaz and, with the support of local tribes, managed to restore law and order in Madina and Makkah, dislodging the Al-Saud clansmen. The entire Muslim world celebrated this victory with great fanfare and rejoicing. In Cairo, the celebrations continued for five days. No doubt, the joy was due to the fact that pilgrims were once more allowed freely to go for Hajj, and the sacred shrines were once again restored.

In 1818 AD, the Ottaman Caliph Abdul Majid and his successors, Caliphs Abdul Hamid and Mohammed, carried out the reconstruction of all sacred places, restoring the Islamic heritage at all important sites. In 1848 and 1860 AD, further renovations were made at the expense of nearly seven hundred thousand pounds, most of which came from the donations collected at the Prophet's tomb.

The second plunder by the Wahhabis
The Ottoman Empire had added to the splendor of Madina and Makkah by building religious structures of great beauty and architectural value. Richard Burton, who visited the holy shrines in 1853 AD disguised as an Afghan Muslim and adopting the Muslim name Abdullah, speaks of Madina boasting 55 mosques and holy shrines. Another English adventurer who visited Madina in 1877-1878 AD describes it as a small beautiful city resembling Istanbul. He writes about its white walls, golden slender minarets and green fields.

1924 AD Wahhabis entered Hijaz for a second time and carried out another merciless plunder and massacre. People in streets were killed. Houses were razed to the ground. Women and children too were not spared.

Awn bin Hashim (Shairf of Makkah) writes: “Before me, a valley appeared to have been paved with corpses, dried blood staining everywhere all around. There was hardly a tree which didn't have one or two dead bodies near its roots.”

1925 Madina surrendered to the Wahhabi onslaught. All Islamic heritage were destroyed. The only shrine that remained intact was that of the Holy Prophet (s).

Ibn Jabhan says: “We know that the tomb standing on the Prophet's grave is against our principles, and to have his grave in a mosque is an abominable sin.”

Tombs of Hamza and other martyrs were demolished at Uhud. The Prophet's mosque was bombarded. On protest by Muslims, assurances were given by Ibn Saud that it will be restored but the promise was never fulfilled. A promise was given that Hijaz will have an Islamic multinational government. This was also abandoned.

1925 AD Jannat Al-Mu'alla, the sacred cemetery at Makkah was destroyed along with the house where the Holy Prophet (s) was born. Since then, this day is a day of mourning for all Muslims.

Is it not strange that the Wahhabis find it offensive to have the tombs, shrines and other places of importance preserved, while the remains of their Saudi kings are being guarded at the expense of millions of dollars?

Protest from Indian Muslims
1926, protest gatherings were held by shocked Muslims all over the world. Resolutions were passed and a statement outlining the crimes perpetrated by Wahhabis was issued and included the following:

1. The destruction and desecration of the holy places i.e. the birth place of the Holy Prophet
, the graves of Banu Hashim in Makkah and in Jannat al-Baqi (Madinah), the refusal of the Wahhabis to allow Muslims to recite Ziyarah or Surah Al-Fatiha at those graves.

2. The destruction of the places of worship i.e. Masjid Hamza, Masjid Abu Rasheed, in addition to the tombs of Imams and Sahaba (Prophet's companions).

3. Interference in the performance of Hajj rituals.

4. Forcing the Muslims to follow the Wahhabis innovations and to abandon their own ways according to the guidance of the Imams they follow.

5. The massacre of Sayyids in Taif, Madina, Ahsa, and Qatif.

6. The demolition of the grave of the Imams at al-Baqi which deeply offended and grieved all Shias.

Protest from other countries
Similar protests were lodged by Muslims in Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Indonesia, and Turkey. All of them condemn the Saudi Wahhabis for their barbaric acts. Some scholars wrote tracts and books to tell the world the fact that what was happening in Hijaz was actually a conspiracy plotted by the Jews against Islam, under the guise of Tawheed. The idea was to eradicate the Islamic legacy and heritage and to systematically remove all its vestiges so that in the days to come, Muslims will have no affiliation with their religious history.

A partial list of the demolished graves and shrines
• Al-Mualla graveyard in Makkah which includes the grave of Sayyida Khadija bint Khuwailid (a), wife of the Prophet (s), the grave of Amina bint Wahab, mother of the Prophet (s), the grave of Abu Talib, father of Imam Ali (a), and the grave of Abdul Muttalib, grandfather of the Prophet (s)

• The grave of Hawa (Eve) in Jeddah

• The grave of the father of the Prophet (s) in Madina

• The house of sorrows (Bayt Al-Ahzan) of Sayyida Fatima (a) in Madina

• The Salman al-Farsi mosque in Madina

• The Raj'at ash-Shams mosque in Madina

• The house of the Prophet (s) in Madina, where he lived after migrating from Makkah

• The house of Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq (a) in Madina

• The complex (mahhalla) of Banu Hashim in Madina

• The house of Imam Ali (a) where Imam Hasan (a) and Imam Husayn (a) were born

• The house of Hamza and the graves of the martyrs of Uhud (a)

https://www.al-islam.org/history-shrines/history-cemetery-jannat-al-baqi

 

[Dawood Ibrahim]

In the hope that in future Iran becomes the place for the pilgrims to go away from Mecca to Iran.
As coconut by temporary marriage insulting the Sahaba, and slander of the symptoms of Mothers of the Believers and the denial of the Quran and the Sahaba, and now a new kaaba (Astaag firullaah).

http://islamicspiritualism.blogspot.ae/2010/11/new-kaaba-but-this-time-in-iran.html?m=1

To the smart person who post this thread please answer me the above picture WTH do you guys worship in a football stadium was it a blessing of Khomeini.

 

[AmirPatriot]

To the smart person who post this thread please answer me the above picture WTH do you guys worship in a football stadium was it a blessing of Khomeini

Demonstration/Protest =/= worship

 

[AmirPatriot]

Alarm over Saudi plan to remove tomb of Prophet Muhammad

The proposal, highlighted by the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, would demolish shrines sacred to many Muslims

Al-Masjid al-Nabawi often called the Prophet's Mosque, is the final resting place of Muhammad

A proposal by a Saudi scholar to remove the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina and bury them in an unmarked grave have sparked controversy.

The plans, according to the Independent newspaper have been circulating the al-Masjid al-Nabawi mosque in Medina which houses the Prophet’s remains under the Green Dome which is visited by millions of pilgrims each year and is regarded as the second holiest site in Islam after the Kabbah.

The document calls for the demolition of chambers around Muhammad’s grave and the removal of his remains to the nearby al-Baqi cemetery, where they would be anonymously interred without a headstone.

The article pointed out that no decision had been officially made to implement the plans.

The revelations have, unsurprisingly, provoked outrage on social media:

(view full site link for tweets)

Others were more skeptical of the news:

Some suggested that the Independent's main source for the story, Dr Irfan al-Alawi of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, was a frequent critic of the Saudi government and exaggerating the plausibility of the plans.

Another pointed out that the Saudi family had not destroyed the original shrine in their almost 100 years of controlling Mecca:

Saudi Arabia’s brand of Islam - pejoratively labelled ‘Wahhabism’ by its critics, after its 18th-century founder Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab - is highly critical of idolatry and the worship of shrines and holy relics.

The bodies of many of the Prophet’s family, including his father, are already interred in the al-Baqi cemetery.

In 1924, after the Saudis took power, all grave markers were removed, so pilgrims would be unable to worship them.

Around 95% of Mecca’s ancient buildings have already been destroyed in the construction of the Grand Mosque, according to the Gulf Institute, and the Saudi government has already come in for much criticism over what is seen as a disregard for historically and religiously important sites.

Prince Khaled Al-Faisal has defended the developments saying “Of all the countries that have ruled Makkah, Saudi Arabia has undertaken the greatest reforms in the city. The expansion projects are conducted in a modern and sophisticated manner.”

Writing on the Islamic affairs website 5Pillarz, Dr Ilyas Mohammed criticised Muslim inaction over the destruction of Saudi Arabia’s historical buildings.

“During the controversy over The Satanic verses in 1988, Jyllands-Posten cartoons in 2006 and the movie Innocence of Muslims in 2012, Muslim leaders were falling over themselves to condemn what they regarded as degradation of their faith,” he wrote. “But over the destruction of Islamic heritage by other Muslims there seems to be silence.”

“If Muslims allow the destruction of their heritage sites to continue unchallenged, then are they in any position to condemn Islamophobes for attacking our Mosques in Britain?“

http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/alarm-over-saudi-plan-remove-remains-prophet-muhammad-64572685

Saudi plan to destroy the Prophet’s tomb

The Saudis have repeatedly brought up the subject of destroying the Green Dome over the Prophet’s (saws) tomb and relocate his body from there. How diabolical can they get?

It is not the first time that the Saudi regime has brought up the idea of destroying the green dome over the Prophet’s (pbuh) tomb in al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah. Aware of the Saudis’ true nature, most Muslims understand that the dome destruction plan is a prelude to destroying the Prophet’s (pbuh) tomb itself that is currently surrounded by prayer space in the masjid. The Saudis allege that Muslims pray to it, when in fact they are doing tawassul, which according to them is shirk (accepting power rivals with Allah (swt) in the area of governance and dominion). No Muslim worships the Prophet (pbuh) or his tomb; what they do, however, is express love for him as commanded by Allah (swt) in the noble Qur’an but the Saudis want to impose their reductionist, and therefore half-baked, interpretation of Islam on the rest of the Muslims under the pretext of preventing shirk.

The real reason is that the Saudis want to relocate the body of the noble Messenger (pbuh) and bury it in an unmarked grave in the nearby Baqi‘ Cemetery. Behind this “real” reason is the age-old motivation of pharoahs, presidents, kings, and princes to obliterate all symbols of morality and social justice whose potential to revitalize the suffering masses spells doom for those who want to rule in perpetuity without having to deal with the sting of accountability. And no one represented this justice in practice and this accountability on the street better than Muhammad (pbuh). What better way to justify effacing restraints on the hereditary monarchs in Arabia, the elected tyrants in Washington, and their bankster enablers in Tel Aviv than to destroy the legacy of Muhammad by “Wahhabizing” the Qur’an and to erase his visage from history by destroying his final resting place on earth. There are Uncle Toms in the White House and coolies in the King’s White Palace, all of whom are being given their marching orders by the Yahudi plantation owners in the white squatter suburbs of occupied Palestine. These Yahudis (Zionists), mushriks (imperialists), and munafiqs (Saudis) hated the Prophet (pbuh) when he was alive 14 centuries ago and they hate him today when the committed Muslims want to bring his message back to life.

The Saudis have already removed all identification markers from the graves of the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and Ahl al-Bayt (members of the Prophet’s family). Prior to Saudi occupation of the Hijaz where the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are located, the Turks had built simple but elegant structures over the graves of the well-known companions and of Ahl al-Bayt in order for Muslims to easily identify them. Muslims offer fatihah (the opening chapter of the Qur’an) on the graves of the deceased, in conformity with the Sunnah of the noble Messenger (pbuh). When the Wahhabi hordes arrived in the Hijaz in 1924, they started wholesale destruction of these structures. They also leveled the graves. Today, it is virtually impossible for an average Muslim to know where a particular companion of the Prophet (pbuh) is buried, or his wives (declared as “Mothers of the Believers” in the Qur’an), children or other members of his family.

The latest proposal to destroy the green dome as well as the chambers surrounding the Prophet’s (pbuh) tomb is the brain-child of one ‘Ali ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Shabal, a professor at Muhammad ibn Saud University in Riyadh. His 61-page document has been circulated among the supervisors of al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah. The chambers (or rooms) were the dwellings of the Prophet’s family. Again, the Saudi regime, its court ‘ulama and other hangers-on are imposing their narrow views on Muslims.

The contents of al-Shabal’s document were referred to by the British daily, The Independent newspaper, in its report of September 1. These were brought to the attention of the London-based daily by another Saudi scholar, Dr. Irfan al-‘Alawi. He has lived in Makkah and has endured long periods of house arrest because of his exposure of Saudi plans.

“[Once relocated to Baqi‘], the Prophet’s [grave] would be anonymous,” Dr. Irfan al-‘Alawi, director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, told the British daily adding, “Everything around the Prophet’s mosque has already been destroyed. It is surrounded by bulldozers. Once they’ve removed everything they can move towards the mosque.”

While a final decision about demolishing the Green Dome and relocating the Prophet’s (pbuh) body has not been taken, the fact that the Saudis would even consider such a possibility is extremely disturbing and is bound to inflame Muslim sentiment worldwide. Under the pretext of expansion of the two masjids — al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah — the Saudis have demolished many Islamic historic sites in the two holy cities. In their place have emerged such Western monstrosities as five- or even seven-star hotels, American fast-food chains Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald’s as well as the coffee shop, Starbucks. It is revealing that Starbucks’ symbol is the sun goddess (picture of a woman in the sun) that sticks in one’s face upon exiting al-Masjid al-Haram. The Saudis see nothing wrong with the display of this American idol, and indeed worship it since people flock to Starbucks as if they have never had coffee in their lives. The Saudis appear to be directing Muslims toward the worship of materialism and grotesque Western-style structures. A huge clock tower dwarfs the Ka‘bah in Makkah. This might explain why they have such intense hatred for Islamic symbols.

Saudis have brought up the idea of destroying the green dome and relocating the Prophet’s (pbuh) body from its current resting place since the day he passed away. For more than 1,400 years of Islamic history, nobody even dared to think of such a blasphemous act, much less act upon it. The Saudis, however, feel they are a superior breed and can do what they like because the Muslim Ummah has paid scant attention to their destructive policies. Some Muslims unfortunately have been compromised by petrodollars while others are too engrossed in the dunya to pay much attention to what the Saudis are doing.

Saudi preachers have on numerous occasions expressed anger at the presence of the Prophet’s (pbuh) grave in al-Masjid al-Nabawi. Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen, the late Saudi preacher, went so far as to declare in a khutbah in al-Masjid al-Haram that the green dome and the Prophet’s (pbuh) tomb should be destroyed because these are symbols of shirk! For 14 centuries, Islamic scholars did not see shirk; only the Saudi preachers have discovered that Muslims are indulging in it.

Al-Masjid al-Nabawi has been expanded and naturally the Prophet’s (pbuh) grave has over the years become surrounded by additional space for salah. It is, however, the Saudis’ allegation that Muslims pray to the Prophet’s (pbuh) grave that is completely false and based on malevolence. If the intention is to expand the masjid, is it necessary to target the Prophet’s (pbuh) tomb that lies in the northeast corner? In Madinah, Muslims face toward the south. The masjid can be expanded in other directions where currently huge five-star hotels have been built that rake in billions of dollars for the Saudi “royals.” It is also revealing that the court ‘ulama have issued fatwas saying the Saudi princes can take money from Bayt al-Mal to build these hotels because they are “providing services to the hujjaj.” Yet the same preachers are silent about why the princes should be charging exorbitant sums when people book into these hotels.

The overwhelming majority of Muslims, in conformity with the teachings of the Qur’an show great love and respect for the noble Messenger (pbuh). In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) says, “The Prophet has a higher claim on the commited Muslims than [they have on] their own selves, [seeing that he is as a father to them] and his wives are their mothers…” (33:06). The noble Messenger (pbuh) himself is reported to have said, “It is not possible for any of you to be securely committed to Allah unless I am dearer to him than his father, his child, and all of mankind.” (Reported in al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Anas ibn Malik; there are similar versions of this in other hadith compilations as well).

The Saudi/Wahhabi literalists, unfortunately misinterpret the love the Muslims show for the noble Messenger (pbuh) as a bid‘ah (according to them, an innovation in matters related to the ‘ibadat) and shirk. The fact that the Arabian Peninsula, so named by the noble Messenger (pbuh), has been renamed “Saudi” Arabia, as if the primitive clan owns the land, is the biggest form of bid‘ah and shirk. This simple fact, however, seems to have escaped the court ‘ulama and the equally obliging “professors” at some of their universities, because they do not consider the name of a territory to fall under the purview of what they in a reductionist fashion consider to be the ‘ibadat. Instead, their narrow interpretations are applied to ordinary Muslims who wish to follow the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the noble Messenger (pbuh).

The recently planned destruction of the green dome and the Prophet’s (pbuh) tomb is not the first time the Saudis have brought up this subject. Only a few years ago (2007), the Municipality in Madinah changed the color of the green dome to silver. There are numerous other silver domes on the roof of Masjid al-Nabi. There is only one Green Dome; its color was changed in preparation for destroying it. The alleged plan was that Muslims would not identify a silver dome with the Prophet’s (pbuh) dome if it were destroyed since there are so many of them.

The Saudis may have succeeded in this sacrilegious act but for the fact that the people of Madinah realized what was planned and came out to protest. This was a rare example of courage in the face of the regime’s extreme brutality toward any form of dissent. The municipality was forced to repaint the dome back to its original green color under public pressure.

The Saudi regime has appointed ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sudais, who performs the duties of imam in al-Masjid al-Haram, to oversee the expansion project in Madinah. This is done on the pretext that huge numbers of pilgrims visit Makkah and Madinah each year and many Muslims have become attached to al-Sudais because of his Qur’anic recitation. The idea seems to be that most Muslims would not think that a prominent shaykh like al-Sudais would do something against Islam. But what does al-Sudais know about architecture? He may be a good qari but that does not confer upon him any special privilege in terms of architectural work or preserving the historic sites of Islam.

The Saudis have used the pretext of the expansion of al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid al-Nabi in Madinah to indulge in the wholesale destruction of Islam’s historic sites. There are alternate ways to expand the facilities without destroying such important sites. The Saudis and their court ‘ulama, however, are motivated by very different considerations.

Muslims should ask themselves whether the artefacts of Ibn Saud are more important than the final resting place of the noble Messenger of Allah?

They actually do want to eliminate these important historical sites — 95% have been destroyed in Makkah, according the Washington-based Gulf Institute. That is why they are busy targeting the Prophet’s Masjid and tomb. It is revealing that everything related to ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Saud, founder of the Saudi “kingdom” has been preserved. Even the tip of the spear that he used to attack the Mismak Fortress and that broke and got stuck in the door, has been preserved. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz’s shoes, swords, and robes, etc. are all preserved. This is obviously neither a bid‘ah or shirk as far as the House of Saud is concerned but anything related to the noble Messenger (pbuh) that the Muslims respect is immediately denounced as bid‘ah and shirk.

Muslims should ask themselves whether the artefacts of Ibn Saud are more important than the final resting place of the noble Messenger of Allah (pbuh)? And who gave the Saudi regime the authority to make decisions on behalf of the entire Muslim Ummah? After all, the Haramayn (the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah) do not belong to the Saudi clan from Dar‘iyyah; these are the common heritage of the Ummah.

Would the Saudis succeed in their nefarious designs to destroy the Green Dome and desecrate the grave of the noble Messenger (pbuh) by relocating his body to Jannah al-Baqi‘? Let us glance at an episode from Islamic history. In the year 1162ce, Nuruddin Zangi was the ruler of Aleppo (part of present-day Syria). He was gallant, just and muttaqi. One night after performing tahajjud salah, he saw the Prophet (pbuh) in his dream. The noble Messenger (pbuh) pointed to two persons with fair skin and blue eyes, and said they were bothering him (the Prophet) so he (Nuruddin) should deal with them. He had the same dream three times consecutively.

Nuruddin called his trusted advisor Jamal al-Din and narrated the dream to him. The advisor told Nuruddin to immediately go to Madinah but to not mention the dream to anyone. Accompanied by a small contingent, Nuruddin hastened to Madinah and told the governor to gather all the inhabitants of Madinah for a feast in Masjid al-Nabi. Everyone was called and Nuruddin looked at each person’s face but could not find the two pale-skinned, blue-eyed people he had been shown in his dream by the Noble Messenger (pbuh). Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that there were two “pious” individuals that lived in a house not far from the Prophet’s (pbuh) tomb. Nuruddin went to the house but found only a few utensils there. He was perplexed but walked around until he stepped on a carpet under which the ground moved somewhat. Lifting the carpet, he discovered a tunnel that had been dug under the house and led to the Prophet’s (pbuh) grave. The two culprits, from Europe pretending to be “Muslims,” had come via Morocco and settled in Madinah. Their plot was to take the body of the noble Messenger (pbuh) away from its final resting place.

For this act of sacrilege, both were executed. Nuruddin then had a deep trench dug all around the grave of the noble Messenger (pbuh) and filled with molten lead so that in future nobody would be able to indulge in such a nefarious act. The two Europeans were non-Muslims; the Saudi rulers claim to be Muslims yet they dare to contemplate such insult to the Prophet’s (pbuh) body. There is little doubt that before they proceed with their sacrilegious act, they will be destroyed. The fact that they can even think of such a diabolical plan, however, exposes their hatred of Islam and the noble Messenger (pbuh).

The Saudi ideology of hatred has given the world such monstrosities as al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Boko Haram, and now the takfiris of ISIS (the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) who have gone on a rampage in Syria and Iraq beheading and murdering innocent people. The takfiris are doing what the Saudi regime has done for decades inside the Kingdom: beheading ordinary people for minor offences while the thieving “royals” get away literally with murder. Human rights activists are also facing extreme oppression with more than 30,000 languishing in Saudi prisons after kangaroo trials.

The Islamic movement must take serious note of the latest Saudi outrage before it is too late. Muslims should also give serious consideration to the removal of this corrupt regime and its thieving members from power. The regime has brought nothing but shame to the name of Islam and Muslims.

The primitive clan that emerged from the darkest regions of Najd follows a narrow literalist interpretation of Islam that the overwhelming majority of Muslims completely reject. Yet by illegally occupying the entire Arabian Peninsula, including the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, the clan has shown visceral hatred for the noble Messenger (pbuh), nastaghfirullah, and Islam. Muslims are duty bound to rise up for the honor of the Prophet (pbuh) and Islam.

https://crescent.icit-digital.org/articles/saudi-plan-to-destroy-the-prophet-s-tomb