Destroying Islamic History

MuslimSister —

Developers and purists erase Mecca's history

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Some of Islam's historic sites in Mecca, possibly including a home of the Prophet Mohammad, are under threat from Saudi real estate developers and Wahhabi Muslims who view them as promoting idolatry.

Sami Angawi, an expert on the region's Islamic architecture, said 1,400-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 holiest city.

"We are witnessing now the last few moments of the history of Mecca," Angawi told Reuters. "Its layers of history are being bulldozed for a parking lot," he added.

Angawi estimated that over the past 50 years at least 300 historical buildings had been leveled in Mecca and Medina, another Muslim holy city containing the prophet's tomb.

Wahhabism, Saudi Arabia's dominant doctrine which promotes a strict narrow interpretation of Islam, was largely to blame, he said.

"They (Wahhabis) have not allowed preservation of old buildings, especially those related to the prophet. They fear other Muslims will come to see these buildings as blessed and this could lead to polytheism and idolatry."

In London, Geoffrey King, Islamic art and archeology specialist at the School of Oriental and African and Studies, said the fate of Islamic historic sites in Saudi Arabia was "depressing."

"The religious authorities have failed to appreciate the significance of these buildings to Muslims and scholars worldwide," said King, who taught for several years in the kingdom and stressed many young Saudis agreed with him.

Followers of Wahhabism say Muslims should focus on Mecca's Grand Mosque, which contains the Kaaba -- an ancient structure that more than 4 million Muslims visit each year as part of haj and umra pilgrimages.

[url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/saudi_mecca_dc]LINK[/url]

Forum

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:09

[quote="Admin"]what would the price hit?

$100 a barrell?

$200?

more?

I can see why the intl community would rather have the current regime.[/quote]

It would definitely be bad.

Honestly it sucks - but the fact of the matter is it's a necessity.

International stability is more important than the concerns of a single religion or a single people.

Obviously even some international concerns (terrorism) have to take the back seat to economic stability.

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:13

[quote="irfghan"][quote="Constantine"]
Why aren't cities like Mecca and Medinah ruled by a religious commission instead of a country?
[/quote]

Ha, and let the Ahlul Bidah have a say in how the Holy Cities are run? No way.[/quote]

lol was that a jab at med?

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:17

[quote="irfghan"]... and their skyscrapers.[/quote]

little towers of babel if you ask me!

Astigafirlaaaah whatever it was exHT used to yell at the end of his posts that stressed his displeasure with everthing!

Beast — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:19

[quote="Constantine"]
little towers of babel if you ask me!
[/quote]

I doubt they'll be called Towers of Bidah.

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:19

It worked the first time.

God did some pretty sweet smiting when they tried to build a tower to talk to him.

MuslimSisLilSis — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:24

[quote="Admin"]no.

In mosque of haram on the roof/3rd floor, you are higher I think...[/quote]

Thats IN the mosque

my Q was is it wrong to build a building higher then THE most holiest mosque in the world

in the same city too

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:25

[quote="MuslimSisLilSis"]Is it a sin to build buildings higher then one of the holiest mosque in the world?[/quote]

lol there was a childish battle in africa a while ago between Uganda's (I think) ridiculously gigantic cathedral and some other starving african nations mosque.

ohhh people...

You — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:27

Nowt wring with it.

The 'qibla' is not just the buliding. its an think of a line extending from the kaabah along a vertical axis to the ground.

oh, and no mosque, shrine, and not even the kaabah is worth more than the life of one person.

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:29

[quote="Admin"]not even the kaabah is worth more than the life of one person.[/quote]

Well now that's interesting

MuslimSisLilSis — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:30

[quote="Admin"]
oh, and no mosque, shrine, and not even the kaabah is worth more than the life of one person.[/quote]

thats true

but at the same time our islamic history-the place where Prophets walked/lived/slept etc are worthy of a lot of respect

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:33

[quote="Admin"]And its something alot of people forget.[/quote]

Isn't that sort of up to the person though?

Obviously several hundred thousand muslims during the second crusade felt rock and history were worth dying for.

Same with the Christians - I probably would have blindly joined the crusades.

These aren't [i]just[/i] buildings... they are legacies of sanctity, and it's worth preserving that sanctity

MuslimSisLilSis — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:35

[quote="Constantine"][quote="Admin"]And its something alot of people forget.[/quote]

Isn't that sort of up to the person though?

Obviously several hundred thousand muslims during the second crusade felt rock and history were worth dying for.

Same with the Christians - I probably would have blindly joined the crusades.

These aren't [i]just[/i] buildings... they are legacies of sanctity, and it's worth preserving that sanctity[/quote]

exactly

hence this topic

some people who think so highly of them selves feel justfied in destroying Islamic history-sumthing that millions of scholars before never considered doing

You — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:36

fighting for your religious rights and freedms is more than just about buildings.

I share your sentiment, but human life does have a very high value.

Beast — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:37

[quote="Constantine"][quote="Admin"]And its something alot of people forget.[/quote]

Isn't that sort of up to the person though?

Obviously several hundred thousand muslims during the second crusade felt rock and history were worth dying for.

Same with the Christians - I probably would have blindly joined the crusades.

These aren't [i]just[/i] buildings... they are legacies of sanctity, and it's worth preserving that sanctity[/quote]

But Crusaders were out to occupy and pillage.

Sanctity was an excuse.

Right?

MuslimSisLilSis — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:40

Mr Admin

no one said human life aint important

and this aint human life vs Islamic buildings topic

it aint about what is more important-they both are in diff ways

this tpic is about PRESERVING islamic history

if u want to talk about the iportance of preserving human life start a new topic

Dave — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 19:42

[quote="irfghan"]But Crusaders were out to occupy and pillage.

Sanctity was an excuse.

Right?[/quote]

Some were some weren't, the First Crusade was about revenge after the burning of the sepulchre and persecution of the Christians.

Godfrey of Bouillon for example was by all accounts an extremely pious man - who refused the crown of Jerusalem. While his brother Baldwin was a selfish warlord who just wanted land. In the second crusade you had St. Louis of France who was also extremely Pious.

I would submit the majority were more pious than adventure seeking though.

Medarris — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 22:07

Hang about, I wasn't aware that building skyscrapers was a haraam act or an innovation. What I find surprising is that those matters in deen which are blatant innovation and imitation of alien nations are wholeheartedly accepted by some people, but they have pangs of conscious because saudi's decide to build a few skyscrapers?

May I remind there is no sin in building these apartments, secondly if the saudis didnt build these then I am pretty certain that a WHOLE bunch of ppl would badmouth the saudis and say look how they dont look after the pilgrims.

Seconldy ppl are spking as though the whole saudi ppl are out to get money from the pilgirms. How stingy of ppl to say such things. May I remind them that Holy Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned in a NUMBER OF AHADEETH that the pilgrims should spend in an easy manner in the Noble Cities and that they will be rewarded for contributing to the money generated by the traders?

Why do ppl have a problem with individuals or families buying land in the Noble Cities and then building flats or hotels and making a living? Its not as though its one big saudi conspiracy out to get the pilgrims, its just business.

MuslimSisLilSis — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 22:12

issue aint regarding builiding skyscrapers :roll:

its about building skycrapers at the expense of destroying Islamic history to make those who have Biddah Phobia's feel better about themselves :roll:

Medarris — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 22:23

Biddah phobia?

Yes to shun Bid'aat is indeed a good thing, pity you dont seem to think so.

I pray I have a Bid'ah phobia aswell.

Beast — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 22:24

Phobia is an irrational fear.

A persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous.

MuslimSisLilSis — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 22:27

[quote="Med"]

I pray I have a Bid'ah phobia aswell.[/quote]

I think God has answered ur prayer

[quote="irfghan"]Phobia is an irrational fear.

A persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous.[/quote]

Nice definition Irfan 😉

Medarris — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 - 22:28

[quote="irfghan"]Phobia is an irrational fear.

A persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous.[/quote]

lol in THAT case I dont want an irrational, abnormal fear.

But yeh, I pray ALLAH saves me from the innovation that has diseased the people.

MuslimSisLilSis — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 - 16:47

[quote="Judda"]Yeah me too![/quote]

speaking of keeping u safe "from the innovation that has diseased the people"

who the hell do u think u are adding words to verses of the Quran in ur sig

looks like ur a hyporcite as well as many other things which I cant say on this forum