REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Saudi Ambassador to Indonesia Mustafa Ibrahim Al-Mubarak has denied reports on plans to remove the Prophet Muhammad's tomb from Al-Nabawi Mosque to Al-Bagi Cemetery.
"It is a baseless rumor which is impossible to happen," said Mustafa after a meeting with the executives of the National Awakening Party (PKB) at the Central Executive Board office of PKB here on Monday.
Mustafa stressed the commitment of the Saudi government to maintaining the existence of the grave in accordance with the Prophet's will.
The Saudi government and King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz have no intention to remove the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad, he said.
"(The Saudi government) will not allow (any party) even to tough the tomb, let alone demolish it," the Saudi envoy emphasized.
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 PKB said earlier it will send a delegation of scholars and clerics from the largest Indonesian Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), to Saudi Arabia to ask for clarification about reports that the Prophet Muhammad's tomb is to be removed.
PKB General Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar said last week an 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 in a statement last week (Friday, Sept 5, 2014).
On Monday (Sept.8), PKB General Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, PKB Legal Council Chairman Aziz Mansyur and a number of PKB executives met with the Saudi Ambassador.
They said they were relieved to hear the explanation directly from the Saudi ambassador to Indonesia.
"This meeting is important to explain the matter to all Muslims in Indonesia that the issue is not true and we are Muslims in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia can build mutual trust," Muhaimin said.
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