Sufi groups have joined Shia Muslims in India in the campaign asking the Saudi Arabian government to restore the Jannatul Baqi tombs in Medina that were destroyed in 1925.
The Sufi Islamic Board have sent a memorandum to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, requesting him to include the Issue of the reconstruction of Jannatul Baqi during bilateral talks with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The organisation said that the reconstruction of the sacred cemetery is a matter of immense religious and emotional significance to the community.
The mausoleum of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Mohammad, and the second, fourth, fifth and sixth in the Shia tradition, were destroyed by the Al Saud-Wahhabi regime after it took over the custody of Islam’s holy cities, Mecca and Medina, and the shrines, from the Ottomans. The Wahhabbis prohibit worship at tombs.
Mansoor Khan, president of the Sufi Islamic Board, said that Jannatul Baqi, the resting place of several revered personalities in Islamic history including the family members of the Prophet Muhammad, holds deep spiritual and historical importance for Muslims worldwide. “Its demolition in 1925 continues to be a cause of sorrow and grievance for millions of believers, who yearn for its respectful restoration in accordance with Islamic traditions,” said Khan in the memorandum.
In light of the deep-rooted civilisational, cultural, and religious ties between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we earnestly request that this long-pending concern be respectfully raised in upcoming bilateral dialogues. India, being home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the world and a nation built on pluralistic values, is in a unique position to convey the sentiments of its citizens regarding this sensitive issue through peaceful and diplomatic channels, the memorandum added.
The Sufi group requested the Government of India include the matter of the reconstruction of Jannatul Baqi on the agenda of future India-Saudi Arabia talks, possibly under the framework of cultural or religious cooperation. A positive dialogue on this issue could serve as a bridge of understanding between the peoples of both nations and foster greater interfaith harmony, the group said.
