Call to Destroy Uhud Cave Rejected
Yousuf Muhammad, Arab News

MADINAH, 23 January 2006 — The cave where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took rest during the Battle of Uhud has become the subject of debate among scholars, some arguing for its destruction.

Madinah Governor Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Majed told Asharq Al-Awsat, the sister publication of Arab News, that he rejected the idea of destroying the site.

A committee was formed recently to discuss the matter after years of complaints over visitors that come to the cave to worship.

Some scholars have suggested simply fencing off the two-meter-wide entrance to the cave located about a kilometer from the ridge where archers were positioned during battles between followers of Islam and pagans. During the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet, who was wounded in the skirmish, took rest in this cave.

An issue that’s caught the attention of numerous readers is the friction between fundamentalist Muslims who seek to deter any manifestation of idolatry and those who believe that historical monuments (religious or otherwise) have intrinsic value.

This Arab News story shows that the issue is one that concerns Saudis, too.

Within the Salafist trends of Islam, there is concern that places associated with the life of the Prophet Mohammed–and other respected figures in Islam–not become places of worship simply because a good and holy person was associated with the place. This, they believe, is tantamount to shirk, or promoting a place or individual to the level of God, the only being worthy of worship.

Others see historic value that can be kept separate from idolatry, merely preserving a place because it was important in the history of mankind, of the Arabs, or even Islam.

The article unfortunately glosses over the fact that some Muslims–the Taleban–did destroy religious images and sites. Too, anyone who has toured the Middle East can readily see statues, reliefs, etc. that have been intentionally defaced. While this may not have been done explicitly to prevent idolatry, the defacing was done to meet a related command of not producing graven images. Representational art, particularly of living beings, is still seen by many conservatives as usurping the role of God as Creator, with the artist to be called upon, at Judgment Day, to bring his creations to life or face the fires of Hell.

In the case of the Uhud Cave, however, it seems that the historians are winning the battle.