INDONESIAN CLERICS TO VERIFY PLANS TO REMOVE PROPHET TOMB

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 6 (Antara) - A delegation of scholars and clerics from the largest Indonesian Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), will travel to Saudi Arabia to ask for clarification about reports that the Prophet Muhammad's tomb is to be removed.          "The team will meet and coordinate with Muslim clerics and the government of Saudi Arabia. The team will verify the truth of the news on the plan to relocate the tomb of the Prophet, an issue that has always surfaced and raised concerns of Muslims all over the world," said Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar in a written statement received by Antara on Friday.          The PKB, as part of the representatives of the Ahlussunah Wal-Jamaah Sunni Muslims in Indonesia, will also seek official statements and assurances from the Government of Saudi Arabia that it would never remove the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad.          The delegation of Muslim clerics and scholars will be sent by the Muslim-based political party PKB.          "The official Statement of the Government of Saudi Arabia is vital to end debate on grave removal plans of the tomb of the Prophet. If the Government of Saudi Arabia does not immediately issue an official statement about the plans to remove the tomb, then it would invite uncertainty and create seeds of conflict among Muslims all over the world," Muhaimin said.

MUSLIMS WARNED OF EFFORTS TO REMOVE PROPHET MUHAMMAD'S TOMB

 By Andi Abdussalam
          Jakarta, Sept 4 (Antara) - A noted Indonesian Muslim cleric has forewarned the Muslim communities of possible efforts to disunite and create unrest among the Islamic world through plans to remove the Prophet Muhammad's tomb to an anonymous site.
         "It is possible that the proposal to remove the tomb is a maneuver launched by a certain group to create unrest among the Muslim communities," Hasyim Muzadi, former general chairman of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and secretary general of the International Conference of Islamic Scholars, said on Wednesday.
         He made the remarks in response to a report by London-based The Independent on Monday, September 1, 2014, on a proposal by a leading Saudi academic Dr Ali bin Abdulaziz al-Shabal of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh to remove the Prophet's grave.
         The Saudi academic had made the proposal through a 61-page document, which calls for the removal of the Prophet Mohammad's remains to the nearby Al-Baqi cemetery, where it will be interred anonymously.