Israel excavates graves of the Prophet's companions in Jerusalem

On Wednesday (04.08.2010) morning, Israeli machinery began the sweeping of a number of graves in the historic Islamic Ma’man Allah cemetery in occupied Jerusalem which contains dozens of tombs dating back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Heritage and Endowments said: “Machinery and bulldozers belonging to the Israeli municipal authorities in Jerusalem have dug up and destroyed 15 tombs in the Ma’man Allah cemetery located in the far north east of Jerusalem. This action is in accordance with Judaisation plans for the Holy city which aims at ridding Jerusalem of all that is Arab and Islamic”.

In a copy of a written statement sent to ‘Quds Press’, the Foundation clarified that the Israeli violation had “occurred after the Al-Aqsa Foundation undertook to cooperate in the upkeep of the cemetery carrying out maintenance and repairs and cleaning it.”

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The Al-Aqsa Foundation condemned the act as an ‘odious crime’ and said that it would “continue with the maintenance and preservation of the Ma’man Allah cemetery; taking care of the tombs inside of it and undertaking the full legal and religious responsibilities toward our graves and our dead.”

The Ma’man Allah cemetery is one of the largest Muslim cemeteries in the area estimated at approximately two hundred dunams.

Credible Palestinian sources confirm that the Ma’man Allah cemetery contains the remains of a number of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) such as ‘Ubadah bin Samit and many graves belonging those from the generation that followed the companions. The cemetery also contains the graves of numerous other notables of Islam, martyrs and righteous individuals.