Iranian Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani, one of Shiite sources of jurisprudence in Holy Qom today strongly denounced a religious decree issued by some Saudi Mufties (religious figures) to destroy Shiite holy sites.
The Iranian religious leaders called for dialogue with the extremist Wahhabis in a bid to thwart the conspiracy to damage the Muslim solidarity.
The Iranian religious leaders called for dialogue with the extremist Wahhabis in a bid to thwart the conspiracy to damage the Muslim solidarity.
A very dangerous fratricide war that can enflame the whole of the Muslim world may take place if the Saudi Arabia’s authorities do not oblige the country’s religious instances to immediately withdraw fatwas by Wahabbi muftis ordering the destruction of all Shi’a mosques and holly places in Iraq.
“Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and some other leading Wahhabi muftis have reportedly endorsed a fatwa allowing for the destruction of Shi’ite holy shrines of Imam Hoseyn (Shi’a’s third and most revered imam) and his brother hazrat Abbas in Karbala, of their sister hazrat Zeinab in Damascus, Syria, as well as Imam Ali, (the first Imam of Sh’ia Muslims), in Najaf, Iraq”, both the official news agency IRNA and the English-language newspaper "Iran Daily", published by IRNA, reported on Sunday 22 July 2007.
“Saudi Arabia has unfortunately been turned into a school for nurturing terrorism and supporting the terrorists, promoting an inauthentic version of Islam, and this recent verdict issued by Saudi terrorism worshiper Mufties is strongly denounced", IRNA quoted a communiqué issued by Ayatollah Golpayegani's Office.
In a coordinated, nationwide campaign, on Friday 28 July, a number of leading Friday preachers from main cities attacked the “heretic and ignorant” Wahabbits and in order of not out rightly attacking the Saudi authorities, avoiding an unwelcome tension with Riyadh, they instead focused the muftis who, they claimed were “puppets” of America, Israel, the world imperialism and international Zionism “who directed and dictated them the fratricide fatwa aimed at dividing the Muslim world”.
To get support from international organisations, religious instances and leading personalities condemning the incriminating fatwas, Iranian grand ayatollahs decided to mandate former president Mohammad Khatami, who now leads the International Centre for Dialogue Among Civilisations and Religions in Tehran, to go on an international tour, meeting influential people in the Vatican, Church of England, Muslim leaders etc...
“Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and some other leading Wahhabi muftis have reportedly endorsed a fatwa allowing for the destruction of Shi’ite holy shrines of Imam Hoseyn (Shi’a’s third and most revered imam) and his brother hazrat Abbas in Karbala, of their sister hazrat Zeinab in Damascus, Syria, as well as Imam Ali, (the first Imam of Sh’ia Muslims), in Najaf, Iraq”, both the official news agency IRNA and the English-language newspaper "Iran Daily", published by IRNA, reported on Sunday 22 July 2007.
“Saudi Arabia has unfortunately been turned into a school for nurturing terrorism and supporting the terrorists, promoting an inauthentic version of Islam, and this recent verdict issued by Saudi terrorism worshiper Mufties is strongly denounced", IRNA quoted a communiqué issued by Ayatollah Golpayegani's Office.
In a coordinated, nationwide campaign, on Friday 28 July, a number of leading Friday preachers from main cities attacked the “heretic and ignorant” Wahabbits and in order of not out rightly attacking the Saudi authorities, avoiding an unwelcome tension with Riyadh, they instead focused the muftis who, they claimed were “puppets” of America, Israel, the world imperialism and international Zionism “who directed and dictated them the fratricide fatwa aimed at dividing the Muslim world”.
To get support from international organisations, religious instances and leading personalities condemning the incriminating fatwas, Iranian grand ayatollahs decided to mandate former president Mohammad Khatami, who now leads the International Centre for Dialogue Among Civilisations and Religions in Tehran, to go on an international tour, meeting influential people in the Vatican, Church of England, Muslim leaders etc...It is not only Shia shrines and mosques that are targetted. In an article by Stephen Schwartz (regardless of who he is or what views he holds) titled 'More Saudi Vandalism', he describes how the Wahhabis keep tearing down Muslim holy places in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, in which Wahhabism is the state form of Islam, has a long history of vandalizing and demolishing historical monuments. Wahhabi doctrine holds that raising gravestones or tombs or maintaining graveyards constitutes idolatry, known in Arabic as shirk, a grievous sin. So does preserving buildings--including religious structures such as mosques. To Wahhabis, a beloved building, the tomb of a saintly figure, or a gravestone is an idol. In Wahhabism, prayers to the Prophet are forbidden--above all because Wahhabis see in them a parallel with Christian worship of Jesus.
Thus, the Saudis followed their conquest of Mecca and Medina in the mid-1920s with an orgy of destruction. They leveled the "Jannat al-Baqi" or "Heavenly Orchard" at Medina that included graves of the Prophet Muhammad's son Ibrahim, as well as numerous of the Prophet's relatives and original companions. They also looted the Prophet's Shrine in Medina and demolished the cemetery in Mecca that included the graves of Muhammad's mother and grandfather. They completely destroyed mausoleums, mosques, and other honored sites, including Muhammad's own house. It was even said that they wished to uproot the grave of Muhammad himself and tear down the Kaaba.
Thus, the Saudis followed their conquest of Mecca and Medina in the mid-1920s with an orgy of destruction. They leveled the "Jannat al-Baqi" or "Heavenly Orchard" at Medina that included graves of the Prophet Muhammad's son Ibrahim, as well as numerous of the Prophet's relatives and original companions. They also looted the Prophet's Shrine in Medina and demolished the cemetery in Mecca that included the graves of Muhammad's mother and grandfather. They completely destroyed mausoleums, mosques, and other honored sites, including Muhammad's own house. It was even said that they wished to uproot the grave of Muhammad himself and tear down the Kaaba.
And now the Saudi authorities are at it again, according to reports from enraged Saudi subjects, who as in earlier instances have requested anonymity. The city planning authorities in Medina, known for their Wahhabi extremism, have ordered the leveling of five of seven mosques built in the city by Muhammad's daughter and four of his companions. These structures are the Mosque of Sayyida Fatima bint Rasulillah, Salman al-Farsi Mosque, Abu Bakr Mosque, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque, and Mosque of Ali ibn Abi Talib. The latter three were constructed by figures among the four "righteous caliphs" who immediately succeeded Muhammad in the leadership of Islam. The structures in question are unique cultural assets whose historic value is literally incalculable, to say nothing of their religious symbolism.
Surprisingly the Iranian Mehr News Agency reported that Riyadh denounces any anti-Shia decrees and that Saudi officials condemn violence against Shia holy sites.
In talks with the Iranian envoy, Saudi officials deny that a decree was issued by any official Saudi ulema to demolish Shia holy sites.
Following the issuance of religious decrees by certain Wahabbi muftis urging destruction of Shia places of pilgrimage, Saudi authorities condemned any acts aimed at desecrating Shia holy sites in a meeting with Iran's ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
The officials were quoted to have said in the meeting that they were surprised by the attribution of any such decrees to Saudi religious authorities, emphasizing that the Saudi government strongly opposes all such thinking, in exactly the same way that it condemned the destruction of the Samarra Mosque.
"We have always kept to our repeatedly declared position that any act targeting Shia or Sunni holy sites would be strongly condemned by Saudi Arabia," they said. The Saudi authorities also emphasized that none of the official Saudi muftis and ulema is known to have issued a decree contradicting the country's official position.
Following the issuance of religious decrees by certain Wahabbi muftis urging destruction of Shia places of pilgrimage, Saudi authorities condemned any acts aimed at desecrating Shia holy sites in a meeting with Iran's ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
The officials were quoted to have said in the meeting that they were surprised by the attribution of any such decrees to Saudi religious authorities, emphasizing that the Saudi government strongly opposes all such thinking, in exactly the same way that it condemned the destruction of the Samarra Mosque.
"We have always kept to our repeatedly declared position that any act targeting Shia or Sunni holy sites would be strongly condemned by Saudi Arabia," they said. The Saudi authorities also emphasized that none of the official Saudi muftis and ulema is known to have issued a decree contradicting the country's official position.
In a related article, Mohamed Ali reported that the home of the Prophet is under threat after Baqi, Moalla demolition. He writes: Report said some of Holy Makka's most historic sites, possibly including a home of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny), are under threat from Saudi real estate developers and an influential Muslim group that view them as promoting idolatry.
An expert on the region's Islamic architecture Sami Angawi said 1400-year-old buildings from the early Islamic period risk being demolished to make way for high rise towers for Muslims flocking to perform the annual pilgrimage to Islam's most revered city.
"We are witnessing now the last few moments of the history of Makka," Angawi said on July 7 adding, "Its layers of history are being bulldozed for a parking lot."
It is worth-noting that Jannatul Baqee (cemetery of Baqee) in Medina and Jannatul Moalla (Cemetery of Molaal) in Makka which contain the holy shrines of holy Prophet’s daughter Fatimah Zahra,imams from his progeny namely Imam Hassan Al-Mojtaba, Imam Zein Al-Abideen, Imam Muhammad Baqer and Imam Ja’far As-Sadeq, his wives including Sayyedah Khadijatul, his companions, aunts and uncles top the list of the bulldozed holy signs of Islam.
An expert on the region's Islamic architecture Sami Angawi said 1400-year-old buildings from the early Islamic period risk being demolished to make way for high rise towers for Muslims flocking to perform the annual pilgrimage to Islam's most revered city.
"We are witnessing now the last few moments of the history of Makka," Angawi said on July 7 adding, "Its layers of history are being bulldozed for a parking lot."
It is worth-noting that Jannatul Baqee (cemetery of Baqee) in Medina and Jannatul Moalla (Cemetery of Molaal) in Makka which contain the holy shrines of holy Prophet’s daughter Fatimah Zahra,imams from his progeny namely Imam Hassan Al-Mojtaba, Imam Zein Al-Abideen, Imam Muhammad Baqer and Imam Ja’far As-Sadeq, his wives including Sayyedah Khadijatul, his companions, aunts and uncles top the list of the bulldozed holy signs of Islam.
In another article the author, Nabil Raza, wonders about the Muslim hush over Saudi destruction of prophet's home and finds that shocking. He writes: The General for Saudi Supreme Association for Tourism, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, has condemned Saudi government plan to demolish Islamic signs and buildings in the holy cities of Medina and Makkah.
The daily writes that operations of demolition of important signs in the holy city of Medinah are neither the first nor would be the last, as earlier seven mosques including Bani Qoreyza Mosque were razed to ground despite their religious, historic and cultural importance as well as their status in the period of the Prophet's rule.
The daily writes that operations of demolition of important signs in the holy city of Medinah are neither the first nor would be the last, as earlier seven mosques including Bani Qoreyza Mosque were razed to ground despite their religious, historic and cultural importance as well as their status in the period of the Prophet's rule.
I wonder what will be next!
Four years ago, controversy was caused regarding demolition of Mosque of Imam Ali Al-Aridhi, grandson of Al-mam Ali bin Abi Taleb, in the holy city of Medinah because of its establishment on his grave.
Meanwhile, surprise has been expressed at the lack of reaction in the Muslim world at the impending demolition of the house of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) by the Saudi authorities.
Renowned thinker Dr Anvar Ashqy said that not more than 10 % of the Islamic historic signs that were present before thr expansion of Al-Haram An-Nabavi Ash-Sharif are left in the holy city of Medinah.
Another article starts with: "These days it‘s easier to find a Cinnabon in Mecca than the house where the Prophet Muhammad was born." and towards the end says: "In Medina, 250 miles north of Mecca, Muhammad‘s tomb is the only shrine to have survived the Wahhabis, and a monumental mosque has been built around it. But religious police bar visitors from praying in the tomb chamber or touching the silver cage around it."
Perhaps a few pictures of the Haram al Nabawi, just in case ...
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