Muslim holy sites not shrines, Cleric warns

The Director of Daarul Ulumil Islamiyya fi-Naijiria (DUIN) also known as the Centre of Islamic Science House of Nigeria, Dr Rafee Busayree Al-Ijebuwi, has urged Muslims to stop referring to Islamic holy sites as shrines. Al-Ijebuwi who is also the deputy Chief Imam of Kubwa Central Mosque, said yesterday in Abuja that it is disservice […]

The Director of Daarul Ulumil Islamiyya fi-Naijiria (DUIN) also known as the Centre of Islamic Science House of Nigeria, Dr Rafee Busayree Al-Ijebuwi, has urged Muslims to stop referring to Islamic holy sites as shrines.

Al-Ijebuwi who is also the deputy Chief Imam of Kubwa Central Mosque, said yesterday in Abuja that it is disservice to continue to refer to any portion of Muslim holy sites like Ka’abah, the Prophet Masjid (mosque) in Madinah, and the Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem among others as shrines.

“Islam is strictly a religion of Monotheism,” the cleric said. “Muslim pilgrims are not in Saudi Arabia for cultism, all they do is to conform to the injunctions of Qur’an and Sunnah far away from polytheism. 

He cautioned Islamic faithfuls against “blind-following” the non-Muslims whom he said are committing blasphemy for referring Islamic holy sites as shrines. 

“I will also advice that Journalists and everyone desist from writing Mecca, even as ‘meca’. This is a trademark of a Lebanese lottery company, it should be written Makkah,” he said.