The Saudis are now set on unprecedented onslaught of demolishing the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad pbuh and other historical structures in the heart of Mecca and Medina, the cradle of Islam, revered by the world's 1.5 billion Muslims. Over the last two decades most of Makkah's 1000-year-old historic sites have been bulldozed and replaced by hotels and other concrete jungles. Failure to protect them from destruction is the biggest tragedy for the Islamic architectural heritage.
The Saudi royal family claims to be guardians of the holy places of Islam, and profit hugely from the centuries by visiting believers to Makkah and Medina for pilgrimage. And yet, they are party to this barbaric desecration of the holiest sites in the Islamic world.
Today, the religious zealots in Saudi Arabia are not alone. Commercial developers such as Bin Laden Group have joined hands with them and are making hundreds of millions in profits as they build ugly, but lucrative high-rises that are shadowing the Grand Mosque known as the Ka'aba. Today Saudi petrodollars have the ability to silence even its most vocal critics, but when all is said and done, history will render a harsh judgment on those who try to wipe out its footprints and steal the heritage of all humanity.
The problem is the Saudi's interpretation of Islam; they are opposed to the preservation of the old historic structures due to belief that some Muslims in their ignorance would be overcome with love and awe that historic sites may invoke, leading to idolatrous thoughts. Destruction of the most precious sites in Islam for fear of idolatry by some is like killing a child for fear that he may grow up to be less than pious. In effect, behind the obsessive fear of idolatry lies a complete lack of understanding and total fanaticism of radical Islam, unable even to appreciate its own past.
What is the reason for the silence of Muslim Ummah? "Is it because so called Muslim nations have become so overwhelmed by the power of the Saudis or is it because we feel a need to cover up Muslim-on-Muslim violence; Muslim-on-Muslim terror; Muslim-on-Muslim oppression?
We Muslims constantly rally against any wrongs inflicted on fellow-Muslims by non-Muslims but hold our silence when Muslims kill, exploit and terrorize other Muslims. Thus, when the Americans kill Iraqis, or the Russians persecute Chechens; we are rightly offended and resentful. But when Saddam Hussein massacred Kurds and Shias for years, Muslims around the world maintained a discreet silence. So why this conspiracy of silence?
Thousands demonstrated against the desecration of the Holy Book Quran at Guantanamo and in USA and thousands complained at the remark by Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado, referring to Makkah and Medina when he said "If there is another 9/11 we should take out their holy places," Where are those zealots now?
Why aren't our preachers at mosques or our organizations regularly demand that the Saudi government halt their destructive plans? Alas, these double standards are what now define the Muslim Community. It seems we have become completely neutered.
Saudi Arabia, in which Wahhabism is the state form of Islam, has a long history of vandalizing and demolishing historical monuments. Cultural devastation of Islamic heritage sites is not a new phenomenon.
1). In 1801 the Saudis-Wahabbis waged a campaign against the Shia Muslim destroying and defacing the sacred tomb of the Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq.
2). Then in early 1920s Saudi rulers Aal-e-Sa'ud bulldozed and levelled a graveyard in Medina - Cemetery of Al-Baqee - and Jannatul Moualla - in the holy city of Makkah that housed the shrines of the grandfather of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions. This anniversary falls on 8th of Shawal and is Know as Yaum-e-Ghum - The Day of Grief for Muslims.
3). The Saudis followed their conquest of Mecca and Medina in the mid-1920s with an orgy of destruction. They levelled the "Jannat al-Baqi" or "Heavenly Orchard" at Medina that included graves of the Prophet Muhammad's son Abraham, as well as numerous of the Prophet's relatives and companions.
4). They also looted the Prophet's Shrine in Medina and demolished the cemetery in Makkah that included the graves of Muhammad's mother and grandfather.
5). They completely destroyed mausoleums, mosques, and other honoured sites, including Muhammad's own house.
6). It was even said that they wished to uproot the grave of Prophet Muhammad pbuh himself and tear down the Kaaba, the stone temple at the centre of Mecca. They were prevented from this last act by pressure from Muslims around the world.
7). Wahabism vandalism continues unabated even today.
Wahhabism is not about faith, but about power and nothing better illustrates the power of the state, in the mind of the Saudi rulers, than the desecration of holy places--including Islamic sites dating from the time of the Prophet Muhammad pbuh himself. What pains is - what type of opium Muslim masses are on anyway? What will it take to shake our deep slumber? What is all more disturbing is that the so called Muslim Organizations and Nations around the world (except only Iran) continue to remain silent at the desecration of our Holy sites!!!.
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Question
TODAY WILL WE EVEN HAVE TIME & COURAGE TO WRITE JUST ONE LETTER/E-MAIL TO SAUDI AUTHORITIES
TO CONDEMN THEM FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND ASK THEM TO RE-BUILD THESE HOLY PLACES?
1.5 BILLION LETTERS - ONE LETTER FROM EACH INDIVIDUAL, CAN WORK WONDERS, ISN'T IT?
Will each one us write at least one letter? I very much doubt - but then, who knows!
After the spiritual awakening from Month of Ramadhan & Nights of Qa'dr, we may possibly do it!!!!!
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The well-known Legal Counsel Dr. Sadek Aljubran confirmed through his Twitter account the existence of a release order for Sheikh Amer effective early next week.
