Prophet Muhammad's Birthplace 'To Be Destroyed For Royal Palace'

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November 13, 2014 1:45 PM

The renovation which is expected to annoy millions of Muslims worldwide, is part of a construction project worth multi-billions that started several years back

The sacred site of Mecca, believed to be the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad will be reportedly converted to a royal palace.

Media reports suggests that the prophet's birthplace would be "buried under marble."

According to The Independent UK, the renovation which is expected to annoy millions of Muslims worldwide is part of a construction project worth multi-billions that started several years back, and has been responsible for the demolition of hundreds of historic monuments.

The al-Masjid al-Haram, also known as the Grand Mosque in the West, is aimed to be expanded further to accommodate millions of devout Muslims who come to the holy city every year to visit the Hajj. Muslims are religiously obliged to visit the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life.

Washington-based human rights group The Institute for Gulf Affairs said that at least 95 percent of the Mecca buildings, built around a millennium back, had been demolished to accommodate shopping malls, apartments and luxury hotels as a part of the expansion of the Grand Mosque.

Dr Irfan Alawi of the UK-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation told The Independent that the Ottoman columns, built around 500 years back, were destroyed last week. The holy columns were built to commemorate the Prophet's ascent to heaven. Alawi has also said that the House of Mawlid, where the Prophet was believed to have been born in AD570, is expected to be demolished by the end of 2014.

Another source by the news agency confirmed the probable demolition. He said that several critics of the construction project are too afraid of the regime to voice their opinion in public.

According to Iran's English-language news agency Press TV, The Islamic Heritage Research Foundation confirmed the planned destruction of the House of Mawlid. Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, the King of Saudi Arabia, is going to replace it with a grand palace for his Mecca visits.

Alawi said that the 24-hour construction work had started again as the Hajj was over for the year. The royal palace of the Saudi King is believed to be five times larger than the present one.

It was earlier reported in September that Prophet Muhammad's tomb in Saudi Arabia had been proposed to be destroyed while taking Muhammad's body to another grave. The alleged plan is to destroy chambers around Prophet Muhammad's grave.

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