The birthplace performs a number of roles in the Islamic world                                                                                                                         

Mainstream Islam treasures several qualities of the birthplace which are deeply rooted in the past; these characteristics or roles played by the birthplace are cherished, not in a way that romanticizes this past, but in a way that sees them as of immense relevance to modern times, and offering solutions to challenges currently being faced. These functions include:

LIST ALL DISCUSSED ROLES AND REASONS TO SAVE

Sign of God basic essentials expression of faith Proof of Islam Proof for Propagation Saudi Heritage       World Heritage Saudi Government  Mecca’s Economy booster  Final link to the early Muslims                            Supports primary sites  Oldest Mosque     User Value    Tribute to King AZZIZ



Expression of Muslim identity

                       

Religions have various methods to articulate and demonstrate the essence of their faith. In the case of Islam, perhaps the most prominent outward expression of the Muslim faith is religious heritage sites – they are inseparably tied up with the religion of the majority of Muslims worldwide. Islamic architecture has been reknowned/admired for centuries for its aesthetic qualities, and as a medium for communicating the values of Islam.  

 

The birthplace, by being both a house of the Prophet of God saw - the principal figure in the formation of Islam - and a House of God (mosque) – a primary centre of worship and dissemination of the religion – has served as a symbol and profound expression of the Muslim peoples identity as not just believers in, but also physical worshippers of, one God. It embodies a greater range of attributes that elucidate the Islamic faith than virtually all other heritage sites. In fact, the birthplace goes beyond core religious principles and also represents a specific worldview and cultural system.


The identity component of the bp represents the essence of the Muslim community; it was formed from virgin Islam, it lives today, and it is to be transmitted to present and future generations.


Reflects the Prophet's saw personality

The psychology of ‘home’ advocates that a person’s home makes purposeful and deliberate statements about themselves. It is a reflection of their personality, and of how they view themselves and their family. As a private space, a home allows human beings to express themselves perhaps more freely than in any other environment, and such articulation results in showcasing their personalities in both intentional, as well as in unexpected and unplanned, ways. Homes are designed to signal/reflect the occupant’s attitudes, goals, values, roles and priorities; they declare to people visiting ‘this is who I am and this is what matters to me’.


The bp is a major part of the tableau of memory that the Prophet saw left behind. Even simply in terms of what a dwelling says about its occupier, an individual’s dwelling, particularly that of a divine messenger tasked with setting an example, is not dissimilar to art: it is quite literally an occupier’s (artist's) expression with the outside world, his means of speaking to others. The bp is all self-definition and self-expression, the bp constitutes a very deep expression of the Prophet saw.


Autonomy, if it is to have any robust meaning, must mean that a person, can control what he expresses and, equally important, what he does not express. Members of a person's communities cannot curtail a person’s dialogue with the world and still claim to support his rights as an autonomous agent. If this principal applies to ordinary individuals, then it most assuredly applies to a prophet conveying divine guidance. In their attempt to censor this dialogue, the extremists have simply highlighted the immense gulf that exists between themselves and modern thought, as well as traditional orthodox Islamic doctrine.


There is a very legitimate public interest – both Muslim and non-Muslim - in the aspects of the Prophet’s pbuh life connected with his role upon the world stage. Such interest demands full access to all relevant information about the Prophet pbuh. Much would be lost if we were deprived of the bp, and a particularly serious damage/ harm would be the undermining of the public's strong interest in knowing as much as possible about a figure who played such a prominent and enduring role in human history, and who continues to affect them, whether directly or indirectly.. 


Satisfier of spiritual aspirations


Pilgrims come to Mecca with very different motivations. For some, the visit entails carrying out the religious rituals and ziyara in a mechanical fashion, and then returning to their homelands. While Mecca and the sacred sites are valued and visited with respect, their hajj, Umrah, or ziyara is devoid of any significant intellectual or emotional involvement.

 

For other pilgrims, however, those of a spiritual bent, the experience is a manifestly poignant affair. For them, the pilgrimage goes beyond merely performing a set of physical routines, and the ziyara is far more than just a sightseeing excursion to religious-tourist hotspots. Each site demands the indulgence of the mind, spirit, as well as body - and each visit has many meanings: it is a place of wonder and contemplation; it is an appreciation of the weight of history present there; it is a time-travel back to the events and peoples of early Islam, a moment in which past and present desperation about the sacrifices and troubles endured by the Prophet saw and his companions, and joy about/over their triumphs and achievements merge in a transcendental participation in history of faith; it is a means to honour the persons associated with the site and it is a statement of solidarity and affinity with them; it is not a reverence of the site but that for which it functions as a signifier; and it is a recognition that the visit was incumbent in order to express the obligatory appreciation to God for the role such sites perform in the service of the religion, and for granting the visitor the opportunity to benefit from them. 


The spiritual pilgrim’s worldview enables him to perceive a halo of sacredness around the site, something that other visitors may only have an inkling of:


“Even those of us who have lost the sense of the sacred, however feel something of the presence of the sacred when they go to those places” (Nasr, 2001).     


---Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. (1990). Islamic art & spirituality. pp., Dehli, Calcutta, Madras, Bombay: Indira Gandhi Centre for Art, Oxford University Press.         

---(2001). The spirit of the cities. In Ismail Serageldin, et al. (Eds.), Historic cities and sacred sites (pp. 3-10). Washington D.C.: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. doc36


For the spiritual pilgrim, visiting Mecca affords a precious opportunity to fulfil another long-held/burning ambition: to be close to the Prophet saw they so revere, by being close to his saw relics. Visiting the birthplace means the achievement of a major religious milestone. These pilgrims have heard narrations from local clerics priests (imams) in their homelands of the Prophet’s saw remarkable physical appearance, his mannerisms, and his sayings. They have read accounts from historians of the heart-rending events of the Prophet’s saw life: his childhood as an orphan, his struggles with the notorious Meccan townspeople, and the celebrated moments in his relations with his Companions. They have been encouraged by religious scholars (Ulema) to emulate the Prophet’s saw lifestyle (Sunnah), to love him saw more than they do their own mother and father, and to pray for his assistance on the Day of Judgement. These constant exhortations have culminated in the creation of a burning desire in many to visit the birthplace when they visit Mecca. Theirs is a yearning to witness the hallowed space chosen by God for the entry of the Prophet saw into this world, to get a sense of the environment in which the Prophet saw lived, and to try to imagine what being in the presence of this man must have felt like who God declared His greatest creation, who celestial beings praise above all other humans, who Muslim theologians consider the ‘Perfect Man’, and who, even non-Muslim scholars [have] admire[d] and paid / pay tribute to.


From childhood, and throughout adulthood, these pilgrims are taught and reminded of the numerous works of the Prophet saw that benefit them today, in this world, and will continue to do so in the afterlife. It is only natural then, that they aspire to learn more about the man on whom their salvation depends so much.

 

Thus, for these pilgrims, their dreams of Mecca are powered, as much by the desire to perform the pilgrimage as by wishes to step on the sand that has seen the footsteps of the Prophet saw, to feel the wind that has overseen the revelation of the Quran, to be where the promise of Islam was born. No other site can evoke visions of the time of the Prophet saw, the ‘golden’ period of Islam, as the birthplace can. 


----Catering for the spiritualist pilgrim

The Saudi government has spent tens of billions of dollars enlarging the Grand Mosque so that millions more Muslims can perform pilgrimage each year rather than being forced to wait for years for their turn/the opportunity. Billions more have been invested in purchasing land from around the Grand Mosque to create a vast pilgrim-services infrastructure to satisfy even the most demanding pilgrim. In determining what features of the pilgrim experience are considered significant, it is evident that there is diversity of views amongst participants, with different visitors giving importance to different aspects of the pilgrimage – such as accessibility to religious sites, efficiency of service providers, standards of accommodation, punctuality of transport, and affordability. The Saudi authorities have made extensive efforts to address these, more ‘materialistic’, facets of the pilgrimage./demands of pilgrims.


However, mainstream Muslims urge authorities to balance the sacred and the secular, and consider the plight of the spiritualist pilgrim and his needs. If hundreds of plots of prized, historic land around the Grand Mosque can be sacrificed to build hotels to meet the demands of pilgrims who cannot make an effort /who are unwilling to make the effort to reside outside central Mecca during the few days/short durations of their pilgrimages; for restaurants and other eateries to accommodate the desires of pilgrims who insist on being able to eat the minute they step out of the Grand Mosque and cannot take the trouble to walk a short distance before purchasing food; for shopping centres for pilgrims who believe they are in Mecca for a pilgrimage-vacation-shopping expedition rather than a sacred duty; then surely the one, small, solitary plot of the birthplace can be left for the spiritual pilgrim, one who is there solely to seek the pleasure of God.


This type of pilgrim does not prioritise creature comforts, and he is not demanding when it comes to accessibility. He expects a pilgrimage to have its share of difficulties. But he needs sites such as the birthplace to satisfy his spiritual yearnings, and to fulfil his personal religious ambitions. He is absorbed in God, wishes to increase his closeness to God, and celebrate His sending of the Prophet saw. He requires the birthplace as much as other pilgrims demand their conveniences and luxuries. He may not be attractive to the city’s hoteliers and store owners, but upon having achieved his spiritual goals, this is the type of pilgrim to more likely leave Saudi Arabia with fond memories of a long-held/cherished dream fulfilled, an intention to return and relive the treasured experience, and a deep/abiding respect for Saudi Arabia and its efforts to cater for him and the full spectrum of pilgrims.


Proof of Islam                                                          Most societies today are being confronted by strong external pressures to modernize, and even secularize. One of the means by which secularists are attempting to weaken the bonds between a religion and its followers is to cast doubt on the authenticity of the claims made by the religious establishment. In the Judeo-Christian world, secularists have begun to question whether the Jesus of Christianity, and the Moses of Judaism, actually ever existed. The contention is that both were mythical figures. Doubt has also been cast on the claims made for the content, sources, and history of the Bible and Torah. Rather than viewing both as unadulterated divine manuscripts, they are maligned/ branded as nothing more than an amalgamation of the beliefs of different communities over thousands of years - Christian, pagan, and others - and authored by large numbers of unknown human writers, who caused the texts to be continually interpolated and corrupted.


Similar suspicion has been directed towards Islam. Attempts have been made to question and undermine Muslim beliefs concerning divine design and oversight of the Prophet’s saw mission, the Quran, and the Hadith. The Prophet saw is seen as a …, the Quran as an edited Arabic version of an already discredited Bible, and the hadiths as invented sayings of the Prophet saw written by unscrupulous writers hundreds of years after the demise of the Prophet saw.

 

Not surprisingly, the religious establishment views secular trends as hugely damaging to society and requiring counteraction /need to be counteracted by efforts to / by strengthen the conservation of religion. This last, naturally includes the preservation of religious heritage and its promotion as evidence of the genuineness of the religion.


The birthplace provides stronger testimony to the existence of the Prophet saw, than virtually all other heritage sites in Saudi Arabia and the Islamic world. The site is direct proof that the Prophet saw existed. Together with Prophet’s saw burial site in Medina, they/the bp demolish the secular allegation that the Prophet saw was a myth. The confirmation of the Prophet’s saw existence, in turn, gives great credence to the Muslim claim that Islam originated in the 6th century. The birthplace is, then, a source of tremendous reassurance to Muslims facing the daily barrage of secular efforts to convert them to a worldly, irreligious way of life. 


Aid to Propagation


The birthplace site is crucial also for propagation of the message of Islam to the 5 billion non-Muslims in the world. As with Christianity, Muslims also have a fundamental obligation to convey the message of Islam to non-believers. The Quran explicitly states that the Prophet saw was sent to benefit not only Muslims, but all human beings: “And we have not sent you save as a mercy for all the worlds”. Modern missionary work is a continuance of the evangelical campaigns of the early Muslims to communicate the message of salvation salvatory to non-believers.


The secular onslaught is also targeting the phenomenon of religious conversions. As described above, it condemns religions which cannot substantiate their claims with tangible evidence, as manmade constructs built around mythical figures. By projecting the faith as a manufactured movement, devoid of divine involvement, irrational, and out-dated, secularists hope to reduce the attraction for potential converts to want to join it. As this drive continues to grow, it will become increasingly necessary, for some non-believers at least, to be provided with material proof of the existence, background, and history of the man claimed by Muslims to have been sent to save them too, and whose faith they are being asked to accept. The birthplace will play a significant role in supplying this substantiation. It is the hard archaeological evidence that secularists had/have been demanding – but hoped did not exist.


Along with the Prophet’s saw burial site, the birthplace provides verification of the existence of the Prophet saw, to a far higher degree of certitude than that offered for many other historical figures, whose existences are universally accepted on the basis of considerably less proof - such as works attributed to them or mentions in the narrations of ancient historians. The Prophet saw, too, has been extensively discussed in the chronicles of historians of his saw period as well as of successive eras - both friend and foe. But the presence of his saw relics, especially the birthplace, elevates the certainty of the tenure of the Prophet saw to a degree unsurpassed by most other figures emanating from his saw time. This heritage contributes to the missionaries’ ability to overcome the obstacles being placed between them and potential converts, by secularists, and create a level playing field on which to present their faith. 


If Muslim missionaries don’t depend on the bp to substantiate their ideology, they soon will..


Supporter of primary sites                            Heritage sites in general, and particularly those such as the birthplace and dwellings of other exemplary Muslims, can be viewed as supporting or secondary sites to primary sites - such as mosques. They form a second-tier of sites propagating the Islamic faith:

 

They are training aids. The highly personal nature of a home and what it reveals about the occupant’s innermost beliefs and practices, is widely recognised. As such, residences of esteemed Islamic figures are effective at teaching key aspects of the model Islamic lifestyle. These dwellings will tend to have on display several traits of the ideal Muslim: moderation shown in the size and type of construction, humbleness in the choice of living standards adopted, hygiene, privacy from neighbours and house-guests, [SEE MEDINANET] simplicity, and preference given to fulfilling the commands of God and the Prophet’s saw over one’s personal desires. By showcasing these sites to the public, the expectations are that they will (i) demonstrate certain principles of the desired lifestyle, (ii) motivate at least a proportion of visitors to adopt those principles.

 

They promote the religion. It could be argued that supporting sites, like primary sites, function as advertisers and promoters of the religion. Just as modern businesses and charities use their buildings – shopfronts, signage, forecourts – to encourage purchases and donations; and companies, organisations, and even governments use roadside or building-mounted advertisement sites to publicise products, services or campaigns; so Islamic sites, in their own subtle ways, assist in the promotion of the religion. Their presence, history, and reputation combine to serve as reminders of obligations to believers – in hopes of reforming sinners, and as evidence of the existence of the faith to non-Muslims – in hopes of converting non-believers to believers.  

 

They are a substitute for primary sites. As is [m.also] observed from the workings of the advertising and promotion industries, generally, one cannot have enough sites to drive-home a message. The sparse scattering of mosques throughout many cities is not always sufficient to keep peoples’ minds focused on the virtuous lifestyle desired. Supporting sites come into their own here, as they spread the message being disseminated by the primary sites, to a wider audience. They are particularly invaluable in locations where another primary site – i.e. a mosque - was not feasible or warranted.


Evidence of the Abrahamic faiths in Muslim nations


The birthplace is a part of the collection of ancient sites in Muslim countries that support Islam’s accounts of the three religions linked to the Prophet Abraham: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. [more on historyof 3 faiths].

 

The fact that other Muslim nations preserve the birthplaces, burial sites, residences, and shrines of so many other Prophets of God indicates: firstly, that such practices are approved by governments, scholars, and the public throughout the Muslim world; and, secondly, for Saudi Arabia to preserve the birthplace would, rather than being controversial in any way, simply mean falling in line with the rest of the Muslim community.

 

Part of Islamic ideology is the belief that there exists a hierarchy amongst the Prophets of God, and that the Prophet Muhammad saw was the chief Prophet of God. As such, for the Muslim world to preserve sites associated with other, lower ranked, prophets, but destroy the site of not only the founder of their faith but also God’s foremost emissary, would not only be illogical, but leave Islam open to ridicule.

Repeated from above::A number of Muslim countries preserve and promote heritage sites linked to prophets:


Jordan                                                                                                                                                                           The Prophet Noah ……………His Shrine in Kerak*          The Prophet Hud …………………...His Shrine near                                                                  Jerash               

The Prophet Lot ……………….His Cave at Ghor Safi*      The Prophet Khidr ………………….His Shrines in                                   Mahis;*  Kerak; Ajlun; and Bayt Ras, Irbid.   The Prophet Jethro …….…His Tomb in Wadi                                                                       Shu’ayb,  near Salt*    The  Prophet Aaron  ………..His Tomb in Petra*            The Prophet Moses …………The Site of his Death on                                                Mount Nebo, near Madaba  The Prophet Joshua ……….His Tomb near Salt            The Prophet David ………..His Shrine in Mazar Al-                                                     Shamali         

The Prophet Solomon …His Shrine in Sarfah, near                                                 Kerak           

The Prophet Job …………...His Tomb in Salt                  The Prophet John ? ………..The Site of his Death at                                                    Mukawir     

The Prophet Jesus ? …………The Site of his Baptism    AMS              in the River Jordan; His Cave in Gedara  The Prophet Muhammad SAW..….The Site of his Early Encounter with the Monk Bahira, and later with the Monk Nestor     

(SEE FOOTNOTES FOR ABOVE AT SAVEBP35)


Turkey    bp35                                                                    Mother Mary House located on the top of ‘Koressos Mountain’ in Western Turkey, near Izmir, close to the ruins of Ephesus. According to Christianity, John the Apostle brought Mother Mary to Ephesus after the Resurrection of Christ and she lived out her last days there. [The house is believed to be the last residence of Mother Mary.]


Syria                                                                                    The tomb of the head of John the Baptist in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.


Iraq                                                                                      Prophet Abraham


Palestine                                                                            The birthplace of Jesus in the Church of…


Delivers User Value


The birthplace site as a whole has never been ‘dead’ heritage. There is tremendous user value attached to the site and it has been serving visiting Meccans and pilgrims for over 1400 years. For most of its existence, the birthplace has been simultaneously, a multi-function structure:

 

-- As a birthplace, a place of solace for those seeking closeness to the departed Prophet saw.

-- A mosque.

-- The Muslim world’s centre-point for the annual celebration of the Prophet’s saw birthday. The birthplace

   was deemed as the most fitting venue to hold Mecca’s celebrations of the Prophet’s saw birthday. These

   festivities were, and continue to be, replicated across the Muslim world.

-- Library – containing many rare books.

 

Whether as the birthplace house alone, or as the combined birthplace house-library, the site has always remained ‘living’ heritage.


Historic buildings provide a tangible link with the past that all can experience.

 

The extremists in Saudi Arabia fail to appreciate that historic preservation provides a link to the roots of a community and its people. Preserving the history of a place through its significant resources gives a community its unique character. In fact, for a community to safeguard its past through its physical remains is a significantly beneficial investment for the present, as well as the future:

 

CULTURALLY, A community is richer for having the tangible presence of past eras and historic styles, which many believe serve to embellish a town or city, and town planners, particularly in Europe and North America, consider an essential ingredient for achieving the ‘eclectic mix’ that they believe is vital in town planning.

 

SOCIALLY, a community benefits when citizens take pride in its history. Old structures and historic spaces often present the human scale of history. Their design and construction tell us much about the cultures that created them and about the traditions and events from which our society grew. By learning the history of one’s community and its historical sites often fosters an individual’s sense of belonging and community pride, and  historic preservation has been shown to be a key ingredient in stabilising older communities and bringing citizens together.

 

ECONOMICALLY, a community benefits when those outside the community visit it to appreciate or study its heritage.  

 

MAYBE ALTER OR LEAVE OUT:why do historian write books describing the past, clerics do lectures, archeologists… why does the Quran mention the past… what is the point of writing books about past but destroying the real thing.,.what is of more value an account of the past or ghatd ptangible evidence of it…

Enhancer of government popularity         


The birthplace is one of the very few, truly international symbols of Islam. It is recognised and esteemed by 58 of the 60 Muslim nations. It is dear to 95% of the world’s Muslims, as well as to tens of thousands of Muslim scholars, Ulema, and media personnel. The reason it is prized because it is so closely linked to the Prophet saw they cherish. Any individual, organisation or government who benefits the site in some meaningful way or establishes a connection with it, will find its reputation enhanced throughout the Muslim world.


It is, thus, a powerful tool for the further legitimisation of the Saudi government, if it chooses to associate with it.


During 1200 years of caliphate rule, many Islamic leaders found that establishing a connection with the birthplace enhanced their standing in the Muslim world.[LINK]


Another key factor for the tremendous symbolic value of the birthplace is its relationship with the first Muslims. These early Islamic communities, which spread the faith and established traditions of freedom and social equity, acted on the basis of outstanding moral and ethical standards and are considered the golden age of Muslim governance. Muslim ruling structures are traditionally considered more legitimate, and more supportable, if they are based on the principles of justice and equity as espoused by Islam, and at the same time, are tolerant towards all non-Islamic minorities as the earliest rulers of Islam, the four caliphs, were.


The Saudi government, like most Muslim leaderships, wants to be perceived as the most recent structure of rulers based on the moral and ethical standards of Islam. It wishes Saudi society to understand and support this governmental identity.


The birthplace can be utilised to increase support for the government. By tying-in with the birthplace, the Saudi government demonstrates that it intends its actions and policies to be understood and interpreted within the context of immaculate Islam. The public perception should be: we are ruled by men who uphold Islamic law and who see themselves as the successors of the early Muslim caliphs. By convincing the general public of their high ethical, moral, social and political aims, the Saudi government can strengthen national identity and increase the popularity of its rulers.


The identification of the birthplace with Saudi Arabia’s leaders can be achieved if a convincing, permanent link between the site and the rulers can be established. This symbolic connection can be created by the government on the basis of either: (i) the birthplace is a valuable part of the history and religion of Saudi Arabia; or (ii) the birthplace, while not considered significant by Saudi Arabia, is regarded as priceless by many friendly nations in the Muslim world, and for this reason the Saudi government chooses to preserve it.


There are a number of actions that the Kingdom can take to promote this association:


--Renovation of the building’s structure??                                                                                                                                        --Beautification of the site                                                                                                                                                                  --Governmental support for other activities at the site                                                                                                                  --Royal or government minister level visits to the site                                                                                                                    --Symbolic imprint of the visiting dignitary’s name on

  panels on the birthplace structure

                                                                                                        --Media coverage of royal/minister visits, improvements,

  or other initiatives at the site


By utilising the symbolic meaning of the birthplace to promote the Islamic character of the government, the Saudi rulers are positioning themselves as part of the worldwide Muslim congregation and displaying solidarity with the majority of Muslim nations – who treasure the birthplace. 


The library above the birthplace house is Saudi heritage                                                                       

Although extremists may argue with mainstream Muslims about the status of the birthplace house, even they have not denied that the library atop it, is quintessential Saudi cultural heritage:


--Built in the Saudi era

--Erected with the specific approval of Saudi King ….

--Constructed by the former Mayor of Mecca, ….

--Associated with the founder of the state religion.

--Contains books and manuscripts from the celebrated 

   library

--At 70 years old, it is one of the oldest buildings in Mecca


The unique unusual technique of building a protective structure on raised foundations above an ancient building, exemplifies the ingenuity and conservation capabilities of 1950s mecca. It fulfils the criteria for inclusion in the heritage protection register both as a Building of special architectural heritage and a structure of historic interest???


The unique library – birthplace conjunction

                                                                             

The library has served Mecca well and has a substantial history of delivering user value. It is still a functioning library and therefore, by definition, ‘living cultural heritage’. The library is located at the heart of the pilgrimage route and it is unlikely that there is any other heritage site in Saudi Arabia better suited or better located to be adopted as part of Saudi s panel of heritage sites to be promoted to Muslim tourists. The library’s impeccable pedigree entitles it to be included within the national system of conservation: if properties in the nearby cultural significant district of ‘historic Jeddah’ can be granted preservation status for being…, then surely the library’s celebrated role in the history of the Central Mecca and connection to the Royal family, should make it at least as valuable as a house in Jeddah, and entitled to the same protection.


A structure such as the bp steeped in history, like art and like writing, expresses ideas. These ideas have been available to the local, national, and international public communities for 1500 years, and the removal of those ideas or denial of their availability to these communities will weaken these communities' essential public culture.

A Symbol of Anti-Materialism                           The birthplace is a reminder to the entire Islamic world of the Prophet’s saw disdain for materialism. The house epitomises the view held by the Prophet’s saw and his saw household on one of the contentious issues of human life today: the excessive pursuit of materialism. The Prophet saw said:


“By God I do not fear that you will worship of other than God (shirk) after me, but I fear for you that the material world will appear before you in all its attractiveness - just as it did for those before you, and you will compete for it just as they did, and it will ruin you just as it ruined them.


While religions preach restraint in material acquisition, and the perils of avarice, secular forces often promote a money-orientated, acquisitive mindset. The rationale behind the birthplace’s form, appearance and contents was similar to that of every house in which the Prophet saw lived, and reflects the Prophet’s saw policy for himself saw, and that recommended to the Muslim community: to accept graciously the type of life granted by God, to seek His pleasure over one’s own, to indulge in materialism only as legitimately required, and to seek out and aid troubled humanity.


Memorial to King


Just as the bp must be saved to honour the Prophet saw, The library deserves to be preserved in memory of King ????. Just as today the Saudi Royal Family is directing the preservation of the nation’s heritage, so between 1926 to 19??, their ancestor King ???? was doing the same. He resisted attempts by the forces of extremists to destroy Islamic heritage in Saudi Arabia and sentiments. Instead he charted a course that maintained harmonious relationships between MWM movement in Saudi Arabia and mainstream Muslim nations. His decision to allow the building of the library atop the birthplace house was a masterstroke, it denied access to the actual birthplace house which satisfied the extremists, but also preserved the birthplace house which was appreciated by mainstream Muslims. It was a move that has bearing fruit till the present day.. While we have foundations dedicated to …. 


The Fourth Oldest Mosque                                                                                                          The birthplace house was consecrated as a mosque in ???? AD. It has never been un-consecrated. It is still, therefore, a mosque, and is in fact [even if rebuilt?] the fourth oldest mosque in the world. While the older mosques have been expanded over the centuries, the birthplace-mosque is the earliest mosque preserved in its original ground plan. SEE MOSQUES OF SAHABA, WERE THEY LATER REBUILT…

In this context of a mosque, the birthplace possesses two reasons to be highly valued: (i) as a mosque it is on a par with any other mosque in terms of being considered a place of purity and sacredness, and deserving of respect and safeguarding from damage or destruction; (ii) as an ancient mosque it has immense heritage value and a record of contributing to the lives of countless Muslims, Meccan citizens as well as pilgrims, that must be recognised and appreciated.


The birthplace [and residence] of a divine emissary

 

Several aspects of /Everything about the bp is extraordinary:


The Prophet saw was a divine emissary. In Islamic ideology, he is the highest ranked such emissary /Prophet of God. After God, He is highest authority in the universe, and all other creation to his leadership. created  . This fact alone should mean that in a society such a Saudi, which is devoted to, and worships, an Almighty God, the envoy of God must be treated with the utmost deference – and this entails respecting his relics and residences. When the Quran emphatically declares "Certainly God and His Angels honour the Prophet (Muhammad)….” The Holy Qur'an Chapter 33 Verse 57…, and therefor all humans being should also,  it is impossible for the awem to argue that destruction of the bp does not directly violate this Quranic injuction. The Quran does not equate the respecting and esteeming of an object or building with bidaa or shirk … and in fact mentions relics of other Prophets ams.


In Islam, birthplaces of God’s messengers are accorded special significance, so much so, that during the Prophet ‘s saw journey to God {miraj) he was instructed to halt at the birthplace of Jesus and perform the Islamic prayer to God, before resuming his journey. This episode is remarkable for two reasons: firstly, that the journey being interrupted was the greatest in human history – the first human to be called to the presence of God; and secondly, the chief of all Prophets was asked to perform prayers at the birthplace of a junior lbeit great prophet. Both aspects of the stopover at Jesus’s birthplace demonstrate not only the immense significance of Prophetic birthplaces, but point to the still greater significance of the chief Prophet’s birthplace.


As a birth site, this is the place where the Prophet saw entered this world ahead of commencing his mission. The site has played a role in the mission of a man who transformed the course of human history and brought about the current position where 60 of the world’s 200 nation follow his religion, and one quarter of all humans s


According to Islamic …, The birth of the Prophet saw was accompanied with miracles, some of which occurred within the house itself. Explain significance of mitacles. And proof of …


The Prophet saw lived for 2/6 years till his saw mother died. His father, ……, had died …… by the age of two , the Prophet saw was an orphan. For the Prophet saw, this house was his closest link to his parents and held deeply treasured memories and connections for him saw.


It is the only residence of the Prophet saw still surviving.


In most nations, cultures the birthplaces and residences of leaders, statesmen, scientists and visionary thinkers are highly prized and zealously preserved. 


Provides A Sacred Atmosphere                        Just as the position of a monarch’s residence demands that his environment be befitting his status – an opulent residence in a correspondingly affluent setting that enhances the splendour of the palace through its own, lesser, yet appreciable grandeur - so the Grand Mosque, the holiest site in Islam, should be surrounded by an atmosphere that is commensurate with its immensely sacred and majestic character. 


However, the Grand Mosque’s immediate neighbours are fast food shops, shopping malls, and hotels. The only site around the Grand Mosque that truly compliments its sacredness, that has existed for as long as the Grand Mosque, and has as glorious a history as the Grand Mosque, is the birthplace.  It takes up very little room, and yet adds considerable grace and charm to the neighbourhood of the GM/Central Mecca. 



Benefits Mecca’s Economy


Most foreign pilgrims to Mecca are mainstream Muslims, and therefore, hold dear heritage sites like the birthplace, both in their home countries and in Saudi Arabia. For them, after the Grand Mosque, the birthplace is the number one attraction in terms of historical sites. Visitation to the birthplace-library - even without access to the interior of the library - and to other heritage sites provides a reason for visitors to stay in Mecca for an extra day or two after their pilgrimages.


The cumulative effect of hundreds of thousands or millions of pilgrims a year remaining even just one extra day in Mecca for sightseeing/ visitation to heritage sites will have a significant effect on boosting Mecca’s hospitality, food, and transport industries.