The photos Saudi Arabia doesn’t want seen and proof Islam's most holy
relics are being demolished in Mecca
1 / 3
Archaeologists
fear billion-pound development has led to destruction of key historical sites
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 Independentreveal 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.
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.”
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.
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.”
No comments:
Post a Comment