Gadaffi complains over missing graves
Oct 21, 2007
THE Libyan leader Col. Muammar El Gadaffi has expressed disappointment over the erasing of the Tomb of Prophet Muhammad, his companions and members of his family.
By Ahmed Kateregga
THE Libyan leader Col. Muammar El Gadaffi has expressed disappointment over the erasing of the Tomb of Prophet Muhammad, his companions and members of his family.
“Where is the grave of Muhammad?†he asked in a speech circulated in an international Islamic academic symposium held at the Entebbe Resort Beach Hotel on Friday.
“The grave and body of Muhammad have been destroyed. The same goes for the family of the Prophet, Al Muhajereen (the early Muslims who migrated from Mecca to Medina), and Al Answar (the Medina-based Muslims who supported the Meccan Muslims when the latter came to Medina) were obliterated.â€
Gadaffi stressed that there was no offence in keeping the graves of Fatima (One of Muhammad’s daughters and spouse of Ali), Aisha (one of Muhammad’s wives), Omar, and Othman.
The symposium under the theme: “State of Fatmiyya Call; history, reality and challenges,†was organised by the Academic Council of Ashiraf Association in conjunction with the Union of Arab Historians, Fatmiyyah Institute of Islamic Studies and the Academic Symposium.
In the same speech, Gadaffi criticised sects in Islam, saying they were a creation of external forces.
He dismissed as distortions claims that Arabs were Sunni and Iranians were Shi’ites.
He argued that Shi’ism started in North Africa in the Fatimid state in Egypt and that Iranians follow the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, implying that they are Sunnis.
He also criticised US President George Bush for what he called exaggerating the Sunni and Shia differences in Iraq.
The Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, called for unity among Muslims.
THE Libyan leader Col. Muammar El Gadaffi has expressed disappointment over the erasing of the Tomb of Prophet Muhammad, his companions and members of his family.
“Where is the grave of Muhammad?†he asked in a speech circulated in an international Islamic academic symposium held at the Entebbe Resort Beach Hotel on Friday.
“The grave and body of Muhammad have been destroyed. The same goes for the family of the Prophet, Al Muhajereen (the early Muslims who migrated from Mecca to Medina), and Al Answar (the Medina-based Muslims who supported the Meccan Muslims when the latter came to Medina) were obliterated.â€
Gadaffi stressed that there was no offence in keeping the graves of Fatima (One of Muhammad’s daughters and spouse of Ali), Aisha (one of Muhammad’s wives), Omar, and Othman.
The symposium under the theme: “State of Fatmiyya Call; history, reality and challenges,†was organised by the Academic Council of Ashiraf Association in conjunction with the Union of Arab Historians, Fatmiyyah Institute of Islamic Studies and the Academic Symposium.
In the same speech, Gadaffi criticised sects in Islam, saying they were a creation of external forces.
He dismissed as distortions claims that Arabs were Sunni and Iranians were Shi’ites.
He argued that Shi’ism started in North Africa in the Fatimid state in Egypt and that Iranians follow the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, implying that they are Sunnis.
He also criticised US President George Bush for what he called exaggerating the Sunni and Shia differences in Iraq.
The Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, called for unity among Muslims.